The factory that makes breakfast cereals for millions has hired a new helper: Kalic, Buxton Lime's liquid-lime dosing system.
The Kellogg's factory in Trafford Park, Manchester is the biggest cereal manufacturing plant in the world. For the UK alone, it makes enough Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Frosties, Coco Pops and Crunchy Nut to fill billions of bowls a year.
However, in common with other food processing industries, cereal manufacturing has its by-products. In this case, it is the waste water from processing.It contains a cocktail of sugars, starches, syrups and flavours. In technical terms, the mixture has a high chemical oxygen demand - a measure of water quality defined by the amount of oxygen that's needed to oxidise materials in the water.
That means the waste water cannot be discharged into sewers without being treated.
The plant has two bio-treatment tanks, one holding 2,000m³, the other 1,000m³. From there waste is passed into a ballast tank that regulates loads and beyond that a dissolved air flotation tank.
Next stop is sludge storage before it gets into the Kalic liquid lime dosing system - then it's out to the sewer.
Made from a natural material, Kalic is a non-toxic, non-corrosive and cost-effective calcium hydroxide suspension that has proved valuable for the treatment of drinking water and food processing applications.
John Darwin, Kellogg's facilities manager says: "Kalic gives us pinpoint pH control, resulting in a good consistent material that also reduces odour levels."
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