HANDLING HIGH-STRENGTH DAIRY WASTE WITH A VERTICAL LOOP AERATION SYSTEM:ULTRA-EFFICIENT PROCESS PERFORMANCE WITH MINIMUM OPERATING COST

A novel aeration system and bystream sludge bioreactor are used at the Alpine Cheese Company in Holmes County, Ohio to handle their high-strength wastewater stream. The aeration system consists of two Vertical Loop Reactor (VLR) tanks operating in series, while the bystream sludge bioreactor – a single tank with a sequencing air delivery - operates with a daily interchange flow between the two systems.During its first two years of operation the plant has been able to operate with a power requirement substantially less than the expected design level. Although load conditions were at design capacity, no biosolids were wasted out of the plant during this two year period. Operating the plant in this manner had no negative consequences on effluent quality: BOD out of the final clarifier averaged 4 mg/l.