Hello everyone,
If you have yet to see my first blog on collecting samples all around the mill site, make sure to take a look. This blog will be the final part of the series.
This week I will turn my attention to the BEP (circled in green) and sludge presses (circled in blue), where, in my opinion, all the smelly samples lie. Once you get past the smell… and lots of bugs... I think this area of the mill is quite neat.
Every morning I start collecting my samples at the sludge presses where the sludge initially starts as WAS, which we discussed last week. Once the solids in WAS are removed, it is known as the sludge mat.
Some fun facts about our sludge:
· Around 80% water retention
· Good fertilization for agricultural purposes
· Contains many microorganisms
Sludge Microorganisms Under a Microscope:
I hope you found the microorganisms in the sludge as cool as I do!
Next, we have the BEP area, where I get the most steps as I climb these massive anaerobic hybrid digester (AHD) tanks. Here is an image for size reference!
A fun fact about the AHD tanks is that they have increased surface area, so microorganisms can sit and live here. In a nutshell, the microorganism help break down solids and release biogases that, once cleaned in the mill, can be directed to a powerplant where we can generate some of the energy we use in the mill.
After climbing up these gigantic tanks, I make my way to the AHD feed comp. Comp simply means the sample was taken throughout the day prior.
Lastly, I enter the recycles building, where I collect samples R1, R2, and R3, which are very similar to the AHDs in many ways. These samples also contain microorganisms that help break down solids, a common theme here at Millar Western.
Thanks for tuning in to this week’s blog. I hope you found this area of the mill as cool as I do. It is essential to note the mill’s safe processes, which generate reusable energy and products that do not go to waste, so I am thrilled to be given this opportunity.
Come back next week to see some of the tests we do daily here in the lab to make sure all samples are at the standards we expect them to be.
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