Cleaning up on wastewater

The renowned Scottish malt whisky distillery Ardmore has chosen Viledon Water Solutions with Aquabio technology

Viledon Water Solutions with Aquabio technology are the first choice for safely and efficiently preparing industrial wastewater for the protection of the environment and nature. Based in Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire in the Scottish Highlands, The Ardmore Distillery provides a recent example.

Shimmering with rich gold and amber colors, the top-quality Ardmore single malt whiskies are characterized by their peaty, smoky flavors. Founded in the late 19th century, the distillery is today owned by Beam Suntory, one of the world’s largest producers of spirits. For companies of this size with such a tradition and reputation, reliable high-performance filtration solutions are indispensable for treating the wastewater produced in the whisky-making process.

The membrane bioreactors stand for unprecedented energy- and cost-efficiency during operation – the system forms the heart of Viledon Water Solutions’ Aquabio technology.

Aquabio technology

At the heart of Viledon Water Solutions’ Aquabio technology are the membrane bioreactor that offers unprecedented energy- and cost-efficiency during operation. Ultrafiltration membranes separate the biomass generated in the biological stage of the process. The high quality water that remains can be fed back directly into the environment – in Ardmore’s case a nearby river – with a clear conscience and full legal conformity. Jürgen Abt, Director Water Solutions at Freudenberg Filtration Technologies, explained the performance of Aquabio technology: “At Ardmore, we separate 99 percent of the organic constituents from the wastewater. We also significantly reduce the copper residues, which is particularly important for the health of aquatic life.

Also of great importance to Ardmore is the fully automatic operation of the plant and its real-time remote monitoring by our technical experts at Freudenberg Filtration Technologies. “Thanks to the remote monitoring of all system components, process and quality changes can be recognized early. This enables immediate measures to be taken to consistently ensure the high quality of the treated water. If there are any changes in the production schedule, the plant can be quickly adapted to the new conditions”, said Abt about the services available to Ardmore.

“At Viledon Water Solutions, we put together an optimized package for every customer”, Abt explained. For other food and beverage producers, this can include such things as downstream wastewater recycling for service water up to drinking water quality, or anaerobic wastewater treatment, which is especially efficient for strong wastewater and high loads. In the latter process, biogas produced during the decomposition of organic substances is used to generate energy, removing the need for fossil fuels.