Solving high-load and fluctuation challenges for a Chinese food processor

The production of frozen French fries involves washing potatoes, as well as washing all equipment that peels, slices and fries the potatoes. These processes generate a lot of solid waste, such as sand, clay, potato starch, palm oil and peel waste. The potato wastewater thus holds very high TCOD and TSS ánd fluctuates highly. The industrial wastewater treatment challenges of Lamb Weston are exemplary for those in the food sector.

This is how it works.

Efficient COD removal

Following pre-treatment, the influent is directed to the high-rate anaerobic BIOPAQ^®ICX reactor, designed for stable and continuous removal of over 85% of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) under variable loading conditions. The anaerobically treated effluent proceeds to an integrated aerobic biological treatment stage ensuring final effluent quality fully complies with local EPB discharge standards by effectively reducing residual COD and Total Suspended Solids (TSS).

Purifying biogas for immediate use

During anaerobic digestion, the BIOPAQ^®ICX system produces biogas, containing 5,000–10,000 ppm hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). The stream is then treated in the THIOPAQ^® biological desulfurization unit, reducing H₂S concentrations to below 50 ppm — and often to non-detectable levels under optimal conditions. The purified biogas is then utilized as supplementary fuel in the plant’s boiler, generating steam for production processes and contributing to the site’s circular economy goals.

• Robust process design ensures high performance under fluctuating organic and hydraulic loads, delivering stable effluent quality.
• Automated system control minimizes operator involvement and reduces labor costs.
• Biogas valorization enables on-site production of approximately 40 tons of steam per day, lowering energy costs and carbon footprint.
• Generation of high-quality anaerobic granular sludge, offering reuse potential for other anaerobic systems.