Irish dairy improves water treatment process

Clay Cross, UK -- Lakeland Dairies Co-operative Society in Kileshandra in Co. Cavan, Republic of Ireland, has achieved a major hike in the amount of solids that can be removed from its plant every day following the installation of a decanter centrifuge.

The Centriquip CQ5000 machine, which replaced a 30-year-old wastewater facility, can put through 45 cubic metres per hour of sludge from the settling tanks, said Rory Farrell, environmental manager for Lakeland Dairies. “That’s three times the capacity of the old system.”

The wastewater generated at Lakeland Dairies is mostly as a result of the CIP (Cleaning in Place) system used to wash processing equipment. Lakeland uses two settling tanks to settle sludge as part of its wastewater treatment process. 

The CQ5000 draws its feed from the bottom of these tanks and from two sludge-thickening tanks.  The unit separates clean water for return to the water treatment plant from the solid matter, which is used on land as a fertiliser.