Page 65 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

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Sustainable Industrial Design and Waste Management
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as well as making observations and documenting deductions to be accounted
for in the prototype. Among the recommendations of the pilot experiment were:
• Quality assessment to minimize contamination and extend the stor-
age life.
• Fresh delivery is highly recommended.
• Preservatives must be used in case of storage.
• Formaldehyde is not recommended in feeding latching cows.
• Feed to animals should be introduced gradually.
• Control amount of whey offered to prevent exhaustive consumption.
• Clean pipe at least once a week to avoid microbial contamination.
• Use corrosion resistant equipment, pipes and tanks in the transfer,
feeding and storage.
• Fly control measures to be continuously implemented.

Cost/benefit analysis
Using whey is also financially acceptable. Based on the above findings and con-
siderations, a primary cost/benefit analysis could be conducted.
Based on its nutritious value, permeate was determined to be $12/ton.
However, the dairy factory will provide it for a cost as low as water at first until
farmers realize its true value. In three years the factory may raise the price
of the whey to $2.6/ton, which is still 6.8% of the price of molasses.
However, implementing this recycling technique, which consists of seg-
regating whey and establishing a factory-to-farm transfer system, would require
initial capital cost, and operation and maintenance costs.
The initial investment includes the following items:

• Installing whey corrosion resistant equipment, pipes and tanks in the
transfer, feeding and storage of whey as the acid of the whey is corrosive.
• Purchasing monitoring equipment and meters for factory and farm.

The operation and maintenance costs include the following items:

• Provide training for factory and farm personnel.
• Whey preservation and quality assurance.
• Delivery of whey from the factory to the farm.
• Thorough cleaning of the pipe network at least once a week to avoid
microbial contamination and off-flavors of the whey.
• Continuous implementation of fly control measures.

Based on the results obtained from the pilot experiments, a summary of the
cost/benefit analysis is shown in Table 2.16.
From Table 2.16 it is clear that the factory would benefit from saving the
cost of treatment and gaining revenue from selling molasses. The farm would
benefit by saving the cost of feeding and increasing productivity.