Industrial Wastewater / Manufacturing / Fine Screening

Project’s context & challenges

A global manufacturer of glass fibre materials for industrial and building applications generates a chemically contaminated wastewater stream during production, containing highly variable concentrations of glass fibres and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA).

Due to tightening municipal discharge requirements, the local authority mandated a significant reduction of fibre content in the wastewater to below 300 mg/l. The main challenge was to reliably treat fluctuating flows and loads, while ensuring stable compliance with discharge limits—without disrupting production or requiring extensive changes to the existing wastewater infrastructure.

Validated solution through on-site pilot testing

Prior to final design and implementation, an extensive on-site pilot programme was conducted over several months to evaluate treatment options under real operating conditions. The trials demonstrated that fine screening was the only reliable solution capable of removing this specific form of suspended glass fibre from the wastewater stream, while maintaining stable operation without continuous operator supervision. This validation phase provided the manufacturer with confidence that the selected technology would deliver long-term compliance without impacting core glass fibre production activities.

Solution

CirTec implemented a compact fine screening solution as a pre-treatment step prior to discharge to the municipal sewer. Two high-capacity fine filters equipped with a 158 μm filter mesh were installed to effectively remove glass fibres and suspended solids from the chemically contaminated wastewater stream.

The solution was designed to handle varying hydraulic loads while maintaining consistent treatment performance. The robust and compact design ensured seamless integration into the existing process, providing a reliable and future-proof solution to meet regulatory requirements.

Customer benefits

Effective reduction of glass fibres to meet municipal discharge limits (<300 mg/l)

Reliable treatment of highly variable wastewater flows and loads

Reduction of suspended solids and associated organic load

Compact solution with minimal footprint and limited civil works

Stable and low-maintenance operation in an industrial environment

Improved compliance and reduced risk of discharge exceedances

Key figures

30–80%

TSS removal efficiency

15–40%

BOD removal efficiency

40 m³/h

Average flow

79 m³/h

Treated flow

144 m³/h

Maximum hydraulic capacity