Fats, oils and grease

We can help solve your FOG problems

Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) pose significant challenges in wastewater treatment because they can solidify and accumulate within pipes, pumps and treatment infrastructure. When FOG enters the sewer system, it cools and coagulates, leading to blockages that restrict flow and cause backups. These blockages not only increase maintenance costs but can also lead to sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), which release untreated wastewater into the environment, posing health risks and environmental damage. Additionally, the accumulation of FOG in treatment plants can interfere with biological processes, reducing the efficiency of microbial digestion and sludge settling, ultimately leading to operational inefficiencies.

Moreover, FOG can negatively impact the overall treatment process by forming floating scum layers that reduce oxygen transfer and hinder the effectiveness of aeration systems. Excessive FOG in wastewater can also create conditions for the growth of filamentous bacteria, leading to foaming and poor sludge dewatering, which complicates sludge management and disposal. 

To help mitigate these issues, we offer a range of solutions to better capture and breakdown FOG. Coagulants and flocculants can be utilized in industrial pretreatment systems to help ensure DAF or oil water separator performance. Where pretreatment systems are overloaded, enzymes like lipase can be utilized to break down fats to make the more soluble and amenable to biological treatment. 

In collection systems, biological additives can be blended with surfactants and enzymes to keep FOG from accumulating in the collection system. These solutions come in solid and liquid forms and can be dosed manually or automatically. For FOG that has entered a biological treatment system, microbially based products can support their rapid breakdown aerobically or anaerobically.

Our Water Treatment Team has the knowledge and experience to help solve FOG issues across a wide range of applications. Please reach out to our team Water Treatment if you have any comments, questions, or applications you’d like us to look at it. You can contact us at water @brenntag.com.

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