RO-based and Biological CPUs for sugar and distillery plants, recovering about 85% of process condensate for cooling tower, process and utility reuse while reducing freshwater intake and effluent load.
Sugar mills and distilleries generate large volumes of condensate from evaporators, pan boiling and spent-wash concentration. This water is a valuable resource, but it carries residual organics, volatile acids, dissolved solids and elevated temperature that make it unsuitable for direct reuse or discharge.
A Condensate Polishing Unit (CPU) treats this condensate to the quality required for reuse within the plant. At SBS Water & Infra Projects Pvt. Ltd., we design, supply, install and commission two types of CPU, RO-based and Biological, built around each client's condensate characteristics, flow rate and reuse application.
Each system is configured to the source of condensate, its quality and the final reuse requirement.
For MEE and other process condensate from molasses-, grain- and cane-juice-based distilleries, which typically carry high COD and volatile acids.
For excess condensate generated in juice evaporation and pan boiling, recovering surplus water during the crushing season.
A coordinated scheme where treated condensate, raw water and effluent streams are managed together for maximum recovery.
We offer two proven CPU technologies. The right choice depends on the organic strength of the condensate and the required reuse quality.
| Criteria | RO-Based CPU | Biological CPU |
|---|---|---|
| Best suited for | Sugar excess condensate and lower-strength process condensate | High-COD distillery condensate: dryer & evaporation condensate, spent lees |
| Core treatment | Cooling, alkali dosing, flocculation, dual media filtration, two-stage RO | Cooling tower, pH correction, anaerobic digester, two aeration tanks, clarifier, sand & carbon filters, UF, RO-1 + RO-2 booster |
| Organic removal | Mainly by RO membranes | Biologically first, then polished by UF + RO |
| By-products | Small RO reject stream | Biogas, biological sludge, RO reject |
| Footprint | Compact | Larger, with biological tanks |
Raw condensate is typically acidic (pH 3.5-4.5) and warm (37-40 °C). Each stage prepares the water for the next, so the membranes run reliably and deliver high recovery.
For high-COD distillery condensates (dryer condensate, evaporation condensate and spent lees), our Biological CPU combines anaerobic and aerobic treatment with sand and carbon filtration, Ultrafiltration and two-stage RO.
RO-Based CPU: representative values from our 4,400 KLPD plant for NSL Sugars.
| Parameter | Raw Condensate | Treated Water |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 3.5 - 4.5 | 6.5 - 8.0 |
| COD | 6,000 ppm | < 300 ppm |
| BOD | 2,500 ppm | < 100 ppm |
| TDS | 600 ppm | < 100 ppm |
| Volatile Acidity | 2,500 ppm | < 250 ppm |
| TSS | < 6 ppm | 1 ppm |
| Turbidity | 5 NTU | < 2 NTU |
| Temperature | 37 - 40 °C | 32 °C |
Actual performance depends on condensate characteristics; each plant is designed after analysing the client's feed.
RO-based and Biological CPUs, delivered across 40+ installations.
About 85% overall recovery with minimum reject.
Cooling tower and alkali dosing condition condensate for RO.
Flocculation, settling and dual media filtration protect membranes.
Parallel trains (e.g., 2 × 100 m³/h) for flexibility and easy maintenance.
Works alongside existing ETP, WTP and ZLD systems.
Lower freshwater intake - recover about 85% of condensate as reusable water.
Reduced ETP load - less wastewater to treat means lower operating cost.
Supports ZLD & compliance - a key building block for Zero Liquid Discharge.
Operating cost savings - save on raw water procurement, pumping and treatment.
Water security - a steady internal source through the crushing and distillation season.
Sustainability - measurable water conservation for ESG reporting.
From feasibility to performance optimization, delivered as a complete project or at any individual stage. Equipment is manufactured at our Talawade (Pune) facility.
CPUs delivered across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Haryana, Assam, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.
One of our largest sugar-side CPUs: a 4,200 KLPD condensate polishing unit with an indoor RO hall and degasser towers, delivered alongside a separate 1,200 KLPD ETP.
| Client | Application | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Balrampur Chini Mills, Babhnan | Sugar CPU | 1,400 KLPD |
| Belgaum Sugars Ltd., Belgaum | Sugar CPU | 4,200 KLPD |
| NSL Sugars Ltd., Beed | CPU & WTP | 4,400 KLPD |
| Ugar Sugar Works, Karnataka | CPU | 2,500 KLPD |
| MRN Saipriya Sugars (Nirani Group) | Distillery CPU | 2,500 KLPD |
| Kamakhya Biofuels Pvt. Ltd., Guwahati | WTP & CPU | 3,000 KLPD |
| Quenergy Sugar Pvt. Ltd., Solapur | CPU | 2,200 KLPD |
| Kedarnath Distillery, Bagalkot | Distillery CPU | 2,000 KLPD |
| Gangamai Sugars & Construction Ltd., Shevgaon | Distillery CPU | 1,400 KLPD |
| Sonasati Organics Ltd., Bihar | Distillery CPU | 1,600 KLPD |
Upcoming in 2026: CPU projects for Godavari Biorefineries (2,000 KLD), Malhar Sugar (1,750 KLD) and a 6 MLD CPU for Satish Sugars.
Focused expertise in water and wastewater treatment for these industries.
Installations with leading sugar and distillery groups across India.
Our Talawade facility ensures quality control and timely delivery.
Proven two-stage RO delivering about 85% water recovery.
Solutions for greenfield projects and revamps of existing systems.
Offices in Pune, Talawade and Nipani for faster support.
RO-based CPUs suit sugar excess condensate and lower-strength condensate, with a compact footprint. Biological CPUs suit high-COD distillery condensates such as dryer condensate, evaporation condensate and spent lees, where removing the organic load biologically first protects the membranes. We recommend the technology after analysing your condensate.
A CPU is a treatment system that removes residual organics, dissolved solids, volatile compounds and other contaminants from process condensate, so the recovered water can be reused within the plant instead of being discharged.
In sugar mills, excess condensate comes from juice evaporators and pan boiling. In distilleries, process condensate is produced mainly during concentration of spent wash in multiple-effect evaporators (MEE) and other thermal operations.
Depending on the design and final quality, polished condensate can be reused for cooling tower make-up, fermentation and process dilution, boiler feed (with suitable downstream polishing) and other utility applications.
Our RO-based CPU's two-stage RO design typically recovers about 85% of the condensate. RO-I operates at around 67% recovery and RO-II treats the RO-I reject at 50-55% recovery, minimising the reject sent to ETP.
Raw condensate is usually warm (37-40 °C) and acidic (pH 3.5-4.5). Cooling to about 32 °C and correcting pH with alkali dosing protects the RO membranes, improves rejection and extends membrane life.
Yes. We assess existing condensate treatment systems, identify performance limitations, and provide modification, equipment replacement, capacity enhancement and optimization services.
We have executed CPU projects from around 300 KLPD to 4,400 KLPD, and a 6 MLD CPU is among our upcoming projects. Each plant is sized to the client's actual condensate generation.
Share your condensate details with us. Our engineers will recommend a treatment scheme suited to your plant, capacity and reuse target.
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