Macadamia Farm Case Study

Background

Located in Bundaberg, Queensland, Macadamias Australia needed to meet its production growth and subsequent increased wastewater flows by updating its existing wastewater treatment plant.

The existing system managed wastewater flows from the cleaning of nuts and vegetables at the plant but was insufficient to meet the changes in production growth. The changes also included a diversification in the food types being produced at the site.

The existing wastewater treatment system was designed to pump effluent into a lagoon where bacteria would complete the treatment process. The increased flows at the site meant that the lagoon would not be sufficient to meet the increased wastewater; Aerofloat was brought on to upgrade the site to ensure it met council standards.

The Aerofloat Solution

Aerofloat installed its Dissolved Air Flotation (AeroDAF 100) unit at the site, constructing the system inside a 20 foot HQ shipping container at its Sydney warehouse. This ensured the system was readily shipped to Macadamias Australia once the client was ready for installation.

In addition to the AeroDAF 100, Aerofloat installed a 25,000 litre balance tank complete with pH correction and air mixing, a rotary drum screen (to remove any solids such as macadamia nut husks from the wastewater), a sludge tank with air mixing and an automated poly skid. The system also included a chemical dosing board, effluent pH testing and correction unit, helping to ensure Macadamias Australia would be compliant with the local council’s regulations.

The shipping container was carefully fitted out to meet the harsh Queensland climate. The screen was added on a mezzanine on the roof of the container, and air conditioning was installed to ensure all system components were kept at the recommended temperature for optimal operation. The container was also insulated using BONDOR and the floor was rendered chemical-resistant using Phenoline (a paint-like material often used to line the inside of large tanks).

Results

Aerofloat was able to install its wastewater system at the Bundaberg site, thanks to clever pre-planning and innovative use of a shipping container to house the main system.

The system is designed to remove suspended solids, reduce the BOD and correct the wastewater pH to ensure the outgoing wastewater will reach the evaporation lagoon standards set by the council.

Remote monitoring was installed on the system to enable data flow between Macadamia Australia’s operators and Aerofloat’s engineers. This also allowed Aerofloat’s engineering team to do initial  system commissioning remotely. The system is due to be fully commissioned in October 2020.

Watch the video case study to see how Aerofloat was able to re-purpose a shipping container to provide a solution for Macadamias Australia.