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Starch

Starch industry challenges

Water, fuel oil and electricity are crucial to operating a starch factory successfully. The production of 100 ton (native) cassava starch consumes on average about 4,000-liter fuel oil and 1 MW electricity.

The processing of cassava roots (fresh roots or dry chips), into native and modified starch, also produces significant waste streams in the form of both wastewater and solid organic waste (peel & pulp).

Many starch factories use polluting, low-efficiency open lagoons for the treatment of their wastewater.  These lagoons require large space, and they cause the loss of large amounts of potential green energy in the form of biogas (a mixture of CH4 & CO2) escaping in the air. Besides the energy loss, there is also the environmental aspect by emitting large amounts of CH4 greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.

Renewable energy from starch wastewater

The ANUBIX™ – B anaerobic reactors offer an integrated solution for the wastewater, fuel oil and electricity needs of a starch factory. The advanced biological wastewater treatment installations use anaerobic bacteria (granular sludge) in a closed reactor to degrade the organic compounds in the wastewater and convert them into biogas.

This captured biogas can then be used as a source of renewable energy for the heating of thermal oil, generation of steam, electricity or a combination of these, to be used at several stages in the starch production.

You can expect effective installation, capable of supplying 100% of the fuel oil energy demand (biogas replaces fuel oil in the boilers or direct fired starch dryers) and 75% of the electricity demand of a modern starch factory.

The RAPTOR® system can generate additional energy (another ca. 180%) from the solid organic waste fraction (wet pulp).

Major advantages of the GWE’s solutions for starch industry

  • Generation and utilization of the valuable biogas to power the WWTP, the starch factory (steam or thermal oil boilers, electricity via Power Gen Set, or Combined Heat-Power (CHP) for heat recovery) or to sell additional electricity back to the national grid and generate additional revenues;
  • Optimal effluent COD/BOD/TSS values: up to 95% and more COD/BOD removal;
  • Minimal operating costs of the installation;
  • Remote monitoring possible to optimize long term performance of the WWTP;
  • Application of proven and reliable technologies;
  • Eligibility for CER’s under the Kyoto protocol (CH4 emissions reduction);
  • Integration with RAPTOR® generates additional biogas from your organic solid waste fraction (pulp & peel).

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