Optimisation of the Ion exchange juice treatment plant at Ashton Cellars

• Main Author: Drew, Margaret Jane
• Other Authors: Lorenzen, L.
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
• Subjects: Wine industry > Waste disposal > South Africa; Wine industry > South Africa > Water supply; Water > Purification > Ion exchange process; Dissertations > Chemical engineering; Theses > Chemical engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/52389

Thesis (MScEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Recently concern has been raised regarding effluent from wine cellars, as it often does not comply with environmental legislation. It was with this in mind that the effluent problem at Ashton Cellars was addressed. After carrying out a water audit of the plant, described in Chapter 3, it was concluded that the ion exchange plant is a significant contributor to the low pH and high conductivity of the effluent dam. Decreasing the effluent from the ion exchange plant should therefore help in improving the total effluent quality. During the water audit opportunities to improve the effluent by making small process changes in the cellar were identified. The primary objective of this study was to provide guidelines to improve the quality and decrease the volume of the effluent from the ion-exchange plant to more environmentally acceptable levels, whilst maintaining product specifications and production rates. This was achieved by studying the operation of the plant (Chapter 4) and testing the characteristics of the current and alternative resins (Chapter 5). Auditing of the ion exchanges plant included a detailed analysis of the regeneration and loading of the ion exchange columns. It was concluded that the operation of the plant can only be optimised once pH and/or conductivity meters, and preferably an automated control system, are installed on the plant. The results given in this thesis can be used as a guide when setting up such a control system. Laboratory testing of the resins revealed that the cation resin currently being used on the plant has been fouled and loads at a slow rate. When the resins are replaced, the use of Purolite CISO and Purolite A103S should be considered as these resins gave the most favourable results. Some alternative treatment methods for the processing of grape must, have been mentioned in Chapter 6. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Al meer kornrner word deesdae uitgespreek oor wynkelders se afvalwater, omdat dit meerendeels nie aan die vereistes van omgewingswetgewing voldoen nie. Dit was met hierdie probleem in die oog dat die afvalwater probleem by Ashton Kelders ondersoek IS. Nadat 'n wateroudit van die fabriek, soos beskryf in Hoofstuk 3, uitgevoer is, is daar tot die slotsom gekom dat die ioonuitruilsisteem 'n groot bydra tot die lae pH en hoe konduktiwiteit van die afvaldam lewer. Indien die ioonuitruilsisteem se uitvloeisel verminder kon word, sou dit tot 'n groot mate bydrae tot 'n verbetering van die totale uitvloei kwaliteit. Gedurende die wateroudit is verskeie moontlikhede vir die verbetering van die uitvloei deur klein prosesveranderinge aan te bring, geidentifiseer. Hierdie studie het as hoof oogmerk die daarstelling van riglyne vir die verbetering van die kwaliteit en grote van die afvalstrome van die ioonuitruilsisteem om sodeende aan omgewingswetgewing te voldoen, maar ter selfder tyd die produk spesifikasies en tempos te handhaaf. Dit is gedoen deur die huidige bedryf van die fabriek te bestudeer (Hoofstuk 4) en die eienskappe van die huidige en altematiewe ioonuitruilharse te toets (Hoofstuk 5). Die oudit van die ioonuitruilsisteem het 'n gedetaileerde anaIiese van die hergenerasie en lading van die ioonuitruilkolornrne ingesluit. Daar is tot die slotsom gekom dat die bedryf van die sisteem alleenlik geoptirniseer kon word indien pH en/of konduktiwiteitsmeters, en verkieslik 'n automatiese kontrolesisteem geinstalleer word. Die resultate van hierdie tesis kan as basis vir so 'n kontrole sisteem gebruik word. Die laboratoriumtoetse op die harse het aan die lig gebring dat die katioonhars wat tans in gebruik is, baie vervuil is en net teen 'n lae tempo belaai kan word. Wanneer die harse vervang word, word die gebruik van Purolite el50 en Purolite A103S aangeraai, aangesien hierdie harse die beste resultate gelewer het. Altematiewe behandelingsmetodes van druifmos is in Hoofstuk 6 genoem.