Palm Oil Mill effluent Treatment Guidelines

Effluent cooling.
1. The optimum temperature for anaerobic treatment is 37°C.
2. The pond depth should not exceed 1.5 m otherwise the cooling efficiency
decreases. The hydraulic retention time of the cooling pond should be at least
1 day.
3. Recycling should be done from the spot ( methanogenic pond exit) where
highly active anaerobic biomass (with methanogenic type bacteria) is
available
4. pH at exit should be 6.7 min
Anaerobic treatment

1. Sludge formation less than 0.3 kgT S/Kg BOD.

2. COD loading should not exceed to 5 Kg/M3*d
3. Needs regular de-sludging.
4. Inlet & outlet should be made to facilitate uniform flow across the pond.
5. Pond depth should be 3 ~ 5 M
6. pH control 6.7 ~ 7.4
7. Minimum retention 45 days
8. Temperature range 37 ~42

Facultative treatment

1. pond depth should be 1.5 ~ 2 M

2. max COD loading
3. The facultative ponds secure their oxygen supply mainly from algae. These
ponds have an upper aerobic zone and a lower anaerobic zone. The depth of
both zones varies from day tonight depending on the intensity of
photosynthesis. The liquid depth from bottom sludge tothe pond surface
should not exceed the range of 1.5 to 2.5 meters, which is the depth of the
aerobic zone, which can normally develop during daytime.

Polishing Pond

1. Depth 1.5 M max

2. Cod loading .05 kg BOD /m3*d
3. Land needed .03 M2 /(KgBOD*d
Compiled by :

Hari Krishna Shukla

San Jose , Costa Rica.