Page 88 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

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Cleaner Production
water is taken entirely from group water boreholes within factory premises.
3
Approximately 35 m of drinking water is taken from the public network
every day.
Wastewater generation
3
The factory generates about 16,000 m /day of industrial wastewater from
different factory steams, including process effluents, boiler blow down, cool-
ing water, vacuum water, and steam condensate. The wastewater is discharged
to Akhnawy drain near the factory.
CP opportunity assessment
The main objective is to set cleaner production opportunities which were
initially identified through an industrial audit of the factory (SEAM 1999a).
The following improvement opportunities were identified as being of par-
ticular importance:

• Upgrade loading and unloading procedures for oil ghee and fats to
minimize spillage.
• Improve housekeeping in the factory acids splitting unit.
• Improve oil recovery from processing unit effluents; especially oil
refining and packaging unit.
• Improve handling of animal fodder ingredients to prevent losses.
• Develop water consumption control, by installing water meters for
monitoring water consumption at various units, and installation of
self-closing taps to reduce water consumption in service units.

CP techniques implemented/Cost/benefit analysis
1. Source reduction was implemented through good housekeeping and preven-
tive maintenance through upgrading loading and unloading procedures. During
the loading and unloading of oil, significant levels of leakage and spillage of
ghee and fatty matter from batch reactors and separators were occurring. These
losses were entirely eliminated as a result of issuing improved procedural
instructions and by improving the supervision of transfer operations.
The cost/benefit analysis for using this CP technique revealed the
following:

• The implementation cost is nil.
• The annual saving is $3,6190.
• The payback period is immediate, which is considered encouraging
for investors.

2. Equipment modification was made through the installation of three
gravity oil separators (GOS) manufactured by the factory. The GOSs were
installed on the oil washing line, immediately after the point where water is
recovered from the oil and ghee refining batch reactor. Recovered oil and ghee
was discharged and lost to refinery effluent before the installation of the