Saputo: Management of the saline waste from dairy processing (2021-22)

Management of the saline waste from dairy processing (2021-22)

Date close:
5th September 2021

Sponsored by Saputo

This project is proudly funded and supported by Gardiner Dairy Foundation

Location:
Subject to restrictions: The project is based in regional Victoria (250kms from Melbourne CBD) Cobram 2714. Students should be prepared to live in the region and accommodation will be organised and paid for near the factory. Please note that accommodation will be provided Mon-Sun however students may return to their usual place of residence on weekends if they wish to do so. Any travel back and forth to the accommodation will be at the students expense and must comply with any restrictions in place.
Description of the project:

Saline wastewater is one of the by-products of the cheese and whey product production and a product that is difficult to handle. In the past this product was stored in evaporation ponds, however this is no longer a viable option due to the possible impact on the environment and surrounding areas and as such sustainable alternatives to process this waste stream are required. As well as processing current waste streams we also need a solution for the treatment of historical waste streams in evaporation ponds.

The student team will be required to develop a detailed understanding of the site’s producers of saline waste streams and identify technological opportunities to reduce these streams and treat these streams to produce products that can dispose of sustainably. There is also a requirement to identify potential disposal opportunities for historical saline waste as well as improved storage opportunities for this waste, which is currently stored in several evaporation ponds. The ponds are lined with a geomembrane liner, which have a limited life.

Project Aims:

1) A validated detailed and milk volume related overview of the site production of saline waste stream.
2) An overview and validation of several sustainable treatment solutions of the identified volumes of saline waste streams.
3) An overview and preferred option for the treatment and disposal of “historical” saline waste.

Available to:
All Students
Engineering
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Science
Sector:
Manufacturing
Employment Type:
Scholarship
Eligibility:
Be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or
Hold an Australian permanent resident/humanitarian visa, or
Hold an international student visa (Must be Melbourne placed during placement period)

Applications for this project are welcome from penultimate and subsequent year undergraduates, Masters and PhD students (coursework and research) who are currently enrolled full-time at Monash including for the period December 2021 to end of February 2022..

Selection and Required Criteria:

Your application will be reviewed by senior university members and assessed against the following criteria:

  • Quality of covering letter, resume and on-line application including spelling & grammar

  • Relevance of your degree to the project(s) you select

  • Skills, ability, knowledge and experience relevant to the project(s) you apply for

  • Quick Learners, adaptable and enthusiastic.

  • Career goals and ambitions

  • Successful interview with industry partner

Please note:

  • Scope for MITI projects are determined by the industry partners, this includes student disciplines and whether they require students at undergraduate, Masters or PhD level.

  • The final selection of the MITI project team will be made by the industry partner.

Duration:
12 weeks
Max number of recipients:
4
Date close:
Sunday, 5th September 2021

Saputo Dairy Australia is a division of Saputo Inc, one of the top ten dairy processors in the world. With operations across nine manufacturing facilities, SDA is the largest milk processor in Australia. Producing high quality dairy products for over 130 years, the Allansford site is also the oldest dairy processing site in Australia and one of the largest employers in south-west Victoria; employing over 800 people. The site produces a variety of cheeses, butter and butter blends, dairy powders, milk and cream for markets in Australia and internationally.

http://www.saputo.com/