Maceration, in
sewage treatment, is the use of a machine that reduces solids to small pieces in order to deal with rags and other solid waste. Macerating toilets use a grinding or blending mechanism to reduce
human waste to a slurry, which can then be moved by pumping. This is useful when, for example,
water pressure
Pressure (symbol: ''p'' or ''P'') is the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Gauge pressure (also spelled ''gage'' pressure)The preferred spelling varies by country and ev ...
is low or one wishes to install a toilet below the
sewer drain pipe.
Maceration can be achieved by using a
chopper pump in the sewage lift station or at the wastewater treatment plant.
[
When the flush is triggered, wastewater flows into the macerator, and when the water level rises, pressure activates the unit, causing the stainless steel blades to rotate at 3,600 rpm, pulverizing the wastewater into fine particles. When this process is complete, the wastewater is pumped to a soil stack or septic tank through a single small diameter pipe (¾ inch or 1 inch) that is much easier to install on site.
Macerator maintenance includes regular cleaning and inspection to prevent plaque and clogging. Only toilet paper and human waste should be flushed down the drain; even items labeled "flushable" can cause problems.
Macerator toilets have become more common in mobile homes.]
In Antarctica
At Antarctic
The Antarctic (, ; commonly ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the South Pole, lying within the Antarctic Circle. It is antipodes, diametrically opposite of the Arctic region around the North Pole.
The Antar ...
research stations with an average summer population of more than 30 people, maceration is the minimum treatment level required before sewage can be disposed of in the sea. This procedure is outlined in the Madrid Protocol, an international treaty outlining environmental practices to be followed in Antarctica. Research stations that do not meet this population threshold are allowed to dump untreated, unmacerated sewage directly into the sea.food waste
The causes of food going uneaten are numerous and occur throughout the food system, during food production, production, food processing, processing, Food distribution, distribution, Grocery store, retail and food service sales, and Social clas ...
) directly into the sea, provided that the vessel is more than 12 nautical miles from shore.[
]
Other large-scale macerative processes
In food processing
Food processing is the transformation of agricultural products into food, or of one form of food into other forms. Food processing takes many forms, from grinding grain into raw flour, home cooking, and complex industrial methods used in the mak ...
plants, maceration refers to the use of a chopper pump to create a "blended" slurry of food waste and other organic byproducts. The macerated substance, which can be described as a protein-rich slurry, is often used for animal feed, fertilizer, and for co-digestion feedstock in biogas
Biogas is a gaseous renewable energy source produced from raw materials such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant material, sewage, green waste, Wastewater treatment, wastewater, and food waste. Biogas is produced by anaerobic ...
plants.
References
Sewerage
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