The adoption of the Taguchi Design of Experiments theory for the optimisation of a cosmetic manufacturers effluent treatment plant.

This thesis describes experimentation undertaken with a chemical precipitation effluent treatment plant based at the cosmetic manufacturer L'Oreal, South Wales. The main aims of the research are to identify methods to achieve greater automatic control of the process and to eliminate consent breaches. In addition recommendations are formulated for the improvement of effluent discharge and treatment costs through the Taguchi Design of Experiments theory.<br/><br/>The characteristics of the effluent are detailed and discussed including estimations of future hydraulic and concentration loadings. The performance of the plant for 1995-1997 is determined and presented.<br/><br/>The Taguchi Design of Experiments theory is applied to determine the optimum plant settings to achieve minimum chemical and discharge costs and maximum percentage COD reduction which are found at Alum pH setting 4.4, Caustic pH setting 6.5, Polymer flow 333ml/min and effluent volume flow 1800 gph. Several confirmation runs prove that these settings provide minimum costs although maximum COD% reduction is not always achieved. Relationships between untreated and treated effluent concentrations are investigated and presented.<br/><br/>Recommendations are formulated and detailed for running cost minimisation and efficiency optimisation. The total implementation costs are £65k yielding savings of £48.75k p.a. A specification of design parameters for a new effluent treatment facility has been formulated and included in the recommendations.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Master's Thesis

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Student thesis

Year dc:date.issued

1998

Author dc:creator

• McGarrigle, Jonathan

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:pure.atira.dk:studenttheses/0665fc29-2e78-4dd4-a8b5-756b724272fd

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:pure.atira.dk:studenttheses/0665fc29-2e78-4dd4-a8b5-756b724272fd