Fatbergs - a world class problem
FOG (Fat Oil & Grease) is generally produced in food service establishments, residences, and slaughterhouses. FOG components are introduced into the sewer system, either by direct discharge to the sewer or by escape from the grease trap, which are typically installed in restaurants. Grease interceptors are designed to trap most of the FOG in restaurant effluent and separate it from the wastewater before it reaches the sewer pipe. However, the efficiency of the GT is highly dependent on the frequency of its maintenance. Also, if a dishwasher or high temperature water is used to wash the dishes, FOG can melt and emulsify within the wastewater phase and thus escape from the GT, then in the downstream flow in the sewer pipe, FOG is cooled, solidifies and forms particles that settle on the surface of the pipe, thus obstructing the flow of wastewater.
The concentration of FOG in wastewater from fast food restaurants has been found to range from 600 to 1100 mg/L. The menu at these restaurants consists primarily of fried chicken, seafood, meats, French fries, and salad dressings that contain a lot of FOG.
Grease tends to adhere to the surface of drains and sewer pipes, causing blockages, restricting the flow of wastewater, and can lead to a Sanitary Sewage Overflow (SSO). Fats and oils also bind to all kinds of organic matter in the wastewater, consolidating and integrating them into the blocks, this causes the degradation of the material under anaerobic conditions that cause unpleasant odors and proliferation of insects and rats. Additionally, FOG deposition can cause sewer lines to corrode under anaerobic conditions, reducing pipe life and requiring earlier pipe repair and replacement.
On the other hand, in treatment plants, the biological process of wastewater with a high concentration of FOG can be hampered by the adhesion of FOG to the pipes and the clogging of the filters, which affects the operations of the treatment unit. In the aerobic phase the floating fat prevents the exchange of oxygen and reduces the performance of the plant. In the last stage of the wastewater treatment process, FOG is deposited in the sludge, which makes it viscous and waxy and thus reduces the sludge dewatering efficiency.
LONDON
The City of London is probably the place where FATBERGS cause the most problems, in fact the term FATBERG (Fat Iceberg) was coined there.
The City has an annual maintenance expense of approximately 12 Million Pounds on cleaning the pipes.
LONDON
The City of London is probably the place where FATBERGS cause the most problems, in fact the term FATBERG (Fat Iceberg) was coined there.
The City has an annual maintenance expense of approximately 12 Million Pounds on cleaning the pipes.
The "Fatberg" of Whitechapel
In September 2017, London cleaning crews worked to unblock a section of the city's sewer system. The culprit, a 130-ton mass of sanitary products and stomach-churning cooking grease. You could call it gross. Water company officials call him fatberg.
In a statement over the weekend, Thames Water announced the existence of the fatberg. According to the private services company, the "rock solid" blockade had formed under the Whitechapel neighborhood of the city. Weighing similar to 11 double-decker buses, this Fatberg is one of the largest to form in London's sewer system.
"It is a total monster and it takes a lot of manpower and machinery to remove it as it is difficult," said Matt Rimmer, head of waste networks for Thames Water.
The Thames Water statement said it took an eight-person team working seven days a week for two weeks to remove the greasy blockage, piece by piece.
Equipped with high-powered hoses, workers break up the fatberg and then transport its remains off-site for recycling. Thames Water said the team was able to progress at a rate of 10-20 tons per day.
Rimmer compared jobs to remove it, such as breaking concrete.
For context, the BBC kindly notes that the fatberg weighs almost as much as a blue whale. In terms of length, it is twice the size of the playing field as London's Wembley Stadium.
Blockages caused by wipes and cooking grease occur at a rate of about eight a week, and Thames Water says it spends about 1 million pounds, or just over $ 1.3 million, a month. eliminating them.
Of course, this is not the first fatberg found in London. In 2013, a mass of 15 tons was found in the Kingston area. It took three weeks to remove that monstrosity, which completely blocked the sewer.
The Whitechapel fatberg is said to be about 10 times larger.
It's also worth noting that there is a "Bin it - not block" campaign to discourage the discharge of the types of waste that fatbergs make.
Londres - El Super Drenaje del Támesis
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LONDON
The City of London is probably the place where FATBERGS cause the most problems, in fact the term FATBERG (Fat Iceberg) was coined there.
The City has an annual maintenance expense of approximately 12 Million Pounds on cleaning the pipes.
%202.png)
LONDON
The City of London is probably the place where FATBERGS cause the most problems, in fact the term FATBERG (Fat Iceberg) was coined there.
The City has an annual maintenance expense of approximately 12 Million Pounds on cleaning the pipes.