Estudos hidrodinâmicos do escoamento em caixa de gordura empregada no tratamento preliminar dos efluentes de cozinha industrial

Abstract

Effluents from industrial kitchens are characterized by high-generated content of oils and fats. These products cause serious environmental problems, and it is mandatory to install pretreatment units in the places where they are generated. Hence the importance of grease traps, intended for this purpose, whose performance is directly related to the processual and hydrodynamic conditions inside. This study aimed to compare the hydrodynamic characteristics of greaser trap (GT) working under two different operating conditions: gravitational flotation and forced flotation (aided by air diffusers). Four hydrodynamic tests were performed in the GT, the 1st and 2nd tests with clean water at a constant flow rate and the 3rd and 4th tests with wastewater from the university restaurant, with variable flow. The methodology applied to evaluate the residence time distribution (RTD) was the technique of stimulus/response using potassium chloride (KCl) as a tracer element. The hydrodynamic results in the 1st operating test indicated features between slug flow and dispersive flow, with moderate dispersion intensity and some mixing. The 2nd operating test, under aeration, showed tendency of complete mixing with great dispersion intensity. The 3rd test, by gravitational flotation, tended to become plug-flow, while the 4th test was characterized as dispersive flow, tending to a high degree of mixing. In all tests, apparent deviations, probably caused by stagnant areas or dead zones, short-circuits and internal recirculation phenomena, were observed, confirming that the useful volume of GT was not fully utilized. Although not part of the scope of this work, the efficiency in removing oils and greases was higher when the gravitational flotation was applied, whose mixture tends to the plug-flow type, which assists the degree of acquiescence and allows a greater accumulation of floated fat. As for the forced flotation through the aerators, much of the fat is oxidized and thus minimized, forming a light color slag (white) and of very low thickness at the top of the CG. However, because of its high degree of mixture, the retention efficiency, as expected, was shown to be lower than the gravitational process.