Enhancing effluent treatment efficiency at a Nylon tyre cord company
Industry Overview
A leading manufacturer of Nylon Tyre Cord Fabric (NTCF) and Nylon Filament Yarn (NFY) in India. The manufacturing process generates waste water containing high BOD COD and complex organic pollutants, requiring an advanced effluent treatment system or compliance with environmental norms.
To learn how our solutions can help optimize wastewater management and ensure regulatory adherence, contact us today.
ETP Overview
The company operates a 650 KLD effluent treatment plant (ETP) with the following aeration tank capacities:
- Aeration Tank 1: 450 KL
- Aeration Tank 2: 800 KL
- Aeration Tank 3: 400 KL
The wastewater treatment system includes equalization, primary treatment, biological treatment (aeration tanks), secondary clarification, and waste management through sludge treatment.
Challenges Faced by the ETP
- Frequent Upsets Due to Multiple Waste Water Streams
The industry has multiple waste water streams, including:
- ✅ Process wastewater treatment from Nylon production – Contains high COD, phenols, and recalcitrant organics.
- ✅ Dye and finishing waste water – High in sulfates, surfactants, and residual dyes.
- ✅ Boiler & cooling tower blowdowns – High in TDS and scaling compounds.
These varied streams led to fluctuations in pH, organic load, and microbial inhibition, making biological treatment inconsistent.
- Filamentous Bacteria Growth Leading to Bulking & Poor Settling
The aeration tanks experienced frequent filamentous bacterial overgrowth, leading to:
- ❌ Sludge bulking – Poor settleability in the secondary clarifier.
- ❌ Reduced oxygen transfer – Filamentous microbes formed a mat, lowering aeration efficiency.
- ❌ High MLSS but poor COD removal – Inefficient microbial metabolism caused high effluent COD.
- High COD and BOD in Final Discharge
- COD levels >1200 mg/L after biological treatment (well above discharge limits).
- BOD levels exceeded 250 mg/L, indicating poor organic degradation.
- Fluctuations in ammonia and nitrate levels due to microbial stress.
Solution: Implementation of Our Customized Bioculture for Effluent Treatment System
To address these challenges, a customized culture solution was implemented in three stages:
- Bioaugmentation with Specialized Microbial Strains We introduced a high-performance microbial culture consortia designed to degrade recalcitrant organics and control filamentous growth.
| Pollutant / Issue | Targeted Bioculture Strains | Mode of Action |
|---|---|---|
| High COD from dyes & finishing | Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis | Produces oxidative enzymes to break down complex organics. |
| Phenolic compounds & nylon by-products | Acinetobacter sp., Comamonas testosteroni | Uses phenol hydroxylase to degrade toxic aromatics. |
| Surfactants & residual oil | Sphingomonas sp., Rhodococcus sp. | Breaks down surfactants & hydrocarbons. |
| Filamentous bacterial overgrowth | Bacillus licheniformis, Nitrosomonas sp. | Competes with filamentous microbes & improves sludge settling. |
| Ammonia & nitrate fluctuations | Nitrobacter sp., Paracoccus denitrificans | Enhances nitrification & denitrification for ammonia removal. |
Dosage Strategy:
- First 10 days: Shock dosing of bioculture for STP wastewater treatment (10 ppm/day) to quickly establish microbial dominance.
- Post-10 days: Maintenance dosing (2–3 ppm/day) for stable microbial activity.
- Process Optimization in Aeration Tanks
- Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Optimization: Increased DO from 1.5 mg/L to 2.5 mg/L by fine-tuning aeration rates.
- MLSS & SRT Adjustments: Maintained MLSS at 3500–4000 mg/L for optimum microbial growth.
- Sludge Recycle Ratio: Adjusted to 60% return rate to prevent sludge bulking.
- Enhanced Settling & Clarifier Performance
- The addition of floc-forming microbes (Bacillus sp.) improved sludge compactness, reducing SV30 from 200 ml/L to 80 ml/L.
- Sludge volume index (SVI) improved from >250 mL/g to <120 mL/g, indicating better sludge settleability.
Results Achieved
| Parameter | Before Treatment | After Bioculture Implementation | Reduction % |
| COD in Effluent | 1200 mg/L | 180 mg/L | 85% |
| BOD in Effluent | 250 mg/L | 35 mg/L | 86% |
| Phenol Concentration | 45 mg/L | 5 mg/L | 88% |
| Filamentous Bacteria Issue | Frequent sludge bulking | Fully controlled | – |
| Dissolved Oxygen (DO) | 1.5 mg/L | 2.5 mg/L | – |
| Sludge Settling (SVI) | >250 mL/g | <120 mL/g | 52% Improvement |
Key Benefits for the Industry
✅ Consistent Compliance with Environmental Norms
- Effluent quality now meets CPCB discharge limits (COD < 250 mg/L, BOD < 30 mg/L).
✅ Reduced Operating Costs
- Lower aeration energy costs due to improved oxygen transfer efficiency.
- Reduced chemical usage (e.g., less need for coagulants & antifoam).
✅ Stable ETP Operation with No More Upsets
- Bioculture created a robust microbial ecosystem that handled stream variations effectively.
✅ Improved Sludge Management
- Better settling resulted in less sludge disposal & reduced maintenance costs.
Conclusion
The implementation of our customized bioculture solution successfully transformed the effluent treatment system at Century Enka Ltd., Bharuch. By addressing COD BOD problems, filamentous bacterial issues, and inefficient aeration, the plant achieved stable treatment performance, reduced operational costs, and regulatory compliance.
Are you looking for expert solutions in effluent treatment and sustainable wastewater management?
Contact us to know more about how our customized bioculture solutions can help!
📧 Email: sales@teamonebiotech.com
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