Starch & food processing · Water reuse
Starch ETP RO retrofit: 3.6× slower fouling, ROI under 5 months
A 1000 KLD effluent treatment plant recycling starch-manufacturing wastewater for industrial reuse, blocked from its Net Zero discharge target by RO instability.
- Client
- Everest Starch India Pvt. Ltd.
- Location
- Rajkot, Gujarat, India
- Product
- SV-NanoMetrix™ FR8040-355LD
- Period
- 90-day side-by-side trial
Client-ready summary with charts and plant data tables.
3.6×
Slower fouling (ΔP rise)
55% → 70%
Recovery rate
~40%
OPEX reduction
< 5 months
Return on investment
Background
Everest Starch India, a leading starch manufacturer in Gujarat, operates a 1000 KLD ETP that recycles treated wastewater for industrial reuse and reduces dependence on municipal and groundwater sources.
Despite the investment, the RO block suffered persistent disruption — the plant could not progress toward its long-term Net Zero water discharge objective.
The challenge
- The 850 KLD RO stage could not hold stable performance under demanding tertiary-effluent conditions.
- Persistent fouling, high cleaning frequency and shortened membrane life drove operating cost upward.
- Repeated production interruptions and inconsistent water recovery stalled the Net Zero roadmap.
The solution
SVJPL evaluated the duty and selected the FR8040-355LD open-channel RO element for high-fouling industrial reuse, then ran a 90-day side-by-side trial against the incumbent membranes under identical operating conditions.
The changeover required no mechanical modification. Installation, start-up and performance monitoring were carried out under SVJPL technical supervision with on-site guidance for the operations team.
Results & plant data
| Parameter | Feed influent | Treated influent | RO feed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flow rate (KLD) | 1,000 | 1,000 | 850 |
| TSS (ppm) | 480 | < 100 | < 100 |
| Turbidity (NTU) | 790 | < 50 | < 50 |
| BOD (ppm) | 1,770 | 450 | 450 |
| COD (ppm) | 7,900 | 1,800 | 1,800 |
| TDS (ppm) | 6,500 | 6,500 | 6,500 |
| Metric | Existing membranes | FR8040-355LD |
|---|---|---|
| ΔP rise rate | 0.25 bar/day | 0.07 bar/day (~3.6× slower) |
| Operating pressure | 21 bar feed / 18 bar outlet | 19 bar feed / 18.5 bar outlet |
| Specific energy consumption | Baseline | ~20% lower |
| CIP frequency | Every 48 hours | Every 7 days (~71% fewer) |
| Recovery rate | 55% | 70% |
| Permeate TDS | Variable | More stable |
| Membrane life | Baseline | Up to 60% longer |
Operational impact
- ~650 additional productive operating hours per year.
- ~40% reduction in operating expenditure.
- Return on investment achieved in under five months.
- Up to 60% longer membrane service life.
FR8040-355LD demonstrated high fouling resistance and hydraulic stability in challenging tertiary effluent reuse. By lowering concentration polarization while holding permeate quality, it delivers compelling operational, economic and environmental benefits for both RO retrofits and greenfield designs.
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