Pannysylvania Magazine

Qilee Environmental has successfully implemented a customized sludge reduction project for one of Greece’s premier food processing companies, a major global producer of Mediterranean table olives and olive oil. The newly installed system addresses the high concentration of organic sludge generated during production, ensuring the facility meets stringent European Union environmental standards while supporting its broader Industry 4.0 automation upgrades.

Overcoming Complex Production Challenges

The Greek facility faced significant waste management hurdles during the washing, soaking, and pitting phases of olive processing. The resulting sludge contained heavy concentrations of fruit residue, fine fibers, and oil. Conventional filtration equipment struggled with this dense composition, experiencing frequent filter clogging and operational downtime due to heavy grease adhesion.

Furthermore, the existing production plant had highly restricted installation space and required a compact, integrated solution. To align with the company’s modernization efforts, the new sludge dewatering process also needed to operate fully automatically with minimal human intervention.

An Integrated, High-Tech Solution

To resolve these operational bottlenecks, Qilee Environmental deployed its specialized Small-to-Medium Multi-Disk Screw Press Solution. Following a thorough technical evaluation and chemical testing based on the client’s specific sludge characteristics, the engineering team installed one QLD-302 Multi-Disk Screw Press and one QPL3-500 Automatic Polymer Preparation Unit.

Constructed from food-grade stainless steel and featuring a wear-resistant hardened screw shaft, the system provides several key operational advantages:

• Exceptional Oil Compatibility: The system features a self-cleaning moving and fixed ring mechanism that effectively manages sticky, oily sludge. This design entirely eliminates the frequent backwashing issues associated with conventional filter presses.

• Modular and Compact Design: Integrating polymer preparation, sludge feeding, and physical dewatering into a single package, the modular system requires minimal floor space and allows for rapid on-site installation.

• Smart Automation and Digital Integration: Designed for Industry 4.0 environments, the equipment supports direct connection with the plant’s central control system for real-time monitoring. The QPL3-500 unit utilizes an integrated three-chamber design to precisely control chemical dosing for consistent flocculation, while the entire system supports 24-hour continuous operation.

Measurable Environmental and Financial Returns

The Qilee Environmental installation has yielded immediate, measurable results for the Greek food processor. The dewatering principle, which uses a gradually decreasing screw pitch to generate high pressure, achieves physical dewatering without the high noise and energy consumption of centrifugal equipment.

As a result, the dewatered sludge cake maintains a remarkably low moisture content, reducing total sludge volume by approximately 75 to 80 percent. This massive reduction in volume has significantly lowered the facility’s solid waste disposal costs. Through combined savings in labor, energy, and waste disposal, the client expects to fully recover the equipment investment within approximately 18 months.

Environmentally, the system has enabled closed-loop wastewater management, effectively eliminating odors and secondary pollution risks, and helping the client successfully maintain multiple international food quality certifications. The system also contains very few wear parts, requiring only minimal annual inspection and maintenance.

Setting a New European Benchmark

Following the deployment, the client’s on-site engineering team reported exceptionally smooth operations, praising the seamless coordination between the automatic polymer preparation unit and the screw press.

Recognizing its superior performance in handling high-viscosity food-processing sludge, the client’s corporate headquarters has officially adopted the Qilee Environmental solution as the environmental operational benchmark for the group’s other production facilities across Europe.

Inquiries can be sent on WhatsApp at +86 13636655908 or email [email protected]

Learn more at: https://www.qileegroup.com/

Media Contact
Company Name: QILEE Environmental Protection Equipment Co., Ltd.
Contact Person: Tina
Email: Send Email
Phone: +86 13370035529
Country: China
Website: qileegroup.com