INNOVATIONS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
Phytodepuration:
Creation of an artificial ecosystem using different species of natural plants, microorganisms and natural substrates. They can be assimilated to systems using vertical percolation that allow to filter and clean wastewater from the winery.
Another system of such kind, is formed by:
- Sedimentation tanks (it separates coarse sediments like skin peels, grapeseeds)
- SBR tanks (Sequencing Bacth Reactors) that are used to ease the processes like nitrification and denitrification along with the development of carbon dioxide
- Sedimentation plants having a vertical flow where oxidation and reaction processes develop bad smells and colours that need to be removed. Water is cleaned (according to the limits imposed by EU legislation for heavy metals) or it can be used in the ground or used for irrigation
A good example:
Simi Winery in California (part of Constellation Brands Inc.) installed a Biotimup flow anaerobic sludge blanket system. Such systems sees wastewater at the winery flows to a central collection sump and is then is pumped to a large screen to clear out solids before heading into an “equalizer tank”.
The water is heated and then transferred to the digester tank where the bacteria do their job. After treatment the water is sent to the sewage plant.
The treated water could be used to irrigate the winery’s landscaping and ideally the system could trap the biogas generated and use it for electricity.