Odor treatment plant for the raw ham supply chain

The treatment of salt waste in the industrial processes of raw ham production

One of the main problems in the raw ham production chain concerns the management of waste deriving from brine and solid salt.

This waste must be sent to waste treatment plants, with high costs.

To address this criticality, the Consortium of Prosciutto di San Daniele has created an innovative plant for the treatment and recovery of salt waste. The project has made it possible to transform waste into a resource since the recovered salt can be used as an anti-icing agent or as an additive in some industrial sectors (for example in tanneries).

Our partner Gesteco was also involved in the development of this project, providing technical-specialist support for obtaining the environmental authorizations necessary to build the salt waste recovery and valorization plant.

The team of experts from Labiotest instead took care of identifying the most suitable technical solutions for the reduction of odors generated by the processing of salt waste derived from the production of raw ham.

Environmental impact and odor control solutions

Since there are no similar plants in Italy, the client asked us for a detailed preliminary study on the odorous impact that the new plant could cause.

We then analyzed the most effective solutions for odor control and designed advanced systems to minimize the environmental impact. The entire design was based on simulations and predictive analysis, also taking into account possible future expansions of the plant.

Una soluzione multistadio avanzata

The installed plant includes a multi-stage system composed of:

• wet scrubber
• dry scrubber.

The combined use of these technologies allows treating high concentrations of pollutants.

The area subject to treatment includes:

• a room of about 700 m3
• 7 tanks, with volumes varying between 20 and 50 m3 divided into:
  - 3 wastewater storage tanks
  - 2 clarified storage tanks
  - 2 permeate tanks.

The position of the scrubber was strategically identified as close as possible to the filter press, a significant point in terms of odorous emissions.

The air treatment system was designed for a capacity of 4,000 m3/h, ensuring effective management of odor emissions from the treatment area.

The system was sized based on:

• the area volumes
• the tank vents
• advanced simulations of pollutant concentrations.

This approach ensured targeted solutions for optimal odor abatement.

Considering the predictive analysis-based design, we have foreseen the possibility to easily add an additional treatment stage, such as an ultrasonic osmogenic barrier and/or a second scrubber with a basic stage.

These interventions, if necessary, can further improve the efficiency of the odor treatment, offering flexibility and adaptability to future plant needs.

This project represented a great challenge for us, but also an important opportunity to put into practice our experience in the creation of tailor-made systems for the treatment of odors.

It allowed us to demonstrate how attention to environmental impacts, in particular to the odors of industrial plants, is increasingly a crucial factor in the design of production facilities.

A preventive approach allows us to obtain an optimal balance between production and sustainability, ensuring compliance with regulations and protection of the territory.