[...]Stemwede, Germany At the Stemwede wastewater treatment plant in North Rhine-Westphalia, a major infrastructure project has been successfully completed in recent months: The plant’s mechanical pre-treatment system has been completely renewed. This involved the removal of two ageing screens and the refurbishment of the concrete channel. Subsequently, two modern HUBER Multi-Rake Bar Screen RakeMax® units with 5 mm bar spacing and a high-performance HUBER Wash Press WAP were installed. In addition, a HUBER Coanda Grit Washer RoSF4 has been operating reliably at the plant since 2004. Complex construction work The work was carried out whilst the plant was operating as normal. This placed high demands on planning, coordination and collaboration. Downtime or reductions in wastewater treatment performance had to be avoided at all costs. To ensure this, the project was divided into two clearly separate stages: First, one screen was replaced whilst the second string ensured continued operation. Subsequently, the second section of the plant was refurbished. In addition to replacing the mechanical equipment, a comprehensive refurbishment of the concrete channel was also required. This structural work was necessary to ensure the new technology could be optimally integrated and to establish the plant’s long-term operational reliability. A partnership of equals A key factor in the project’s success was the close and trusting collaboration between the plant operator and HUBER SE. From detailed planning through coordination of the construction phases right through to commissioning, both sides worked in close coordination. The shared goal: a reliable, high-performance and future-proof pre-treatment system for the Stemwede sewage treatment works. The wastewater plant manager, Sandro Menne, gives a thoroughly positive assessment: ‘This project has shown what is possible when everyone involved pulls together. Despite the work being carried out whilst the plant was in operation, everything went smoothly – that’s exactly how you imagine such a project to go.’ Greater efficiency and operational reliability With the new screening technology and the integrated wash press, the mechanical pre-treatment system in Stemwede is now state-of-the-art. The plant benefits from higher separation efficiency, improved screenings treatment and, overall, increased operational reliability. The project in Stemwede is therefore a successful example of how even challenging refurbishment measures in existing facilities can be implemented when planning, technology and collaborative partnership go hand in hand.[...]
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[...]Newark, UK A HUBER Technology Wastewater Case Study HUBER Technology recently completed a project at Crankley Point STW located in Newark. The scheme was part of a £60 million investment by Severn Trent Water in Newarks waste and water systems to prevent flooding at around 400 homes in Newark. Part of this work involved the construction combined sewer tunnel 2.8m in diameter with a new terminal pumping station built at Crankley Point STW. Project Profile HUBER Technology were first approached to look at the outline design of the project in 2012 directly by Severn Trent Water and as the project developed further in 2015 with NMCN and the BNM alliance Through this early involvement in the project we were able to develop the most cost effective solution which provided the best solution for this challenging project. The terminal pumping station features four dry weather flow pumps which pump the flow directly into the inlet works and six storm pumps which are used only in storm conditions. Each storm pump is capable of pumping 1,000 l/sec each and the combined flow of 6,000 l/sec needed to be screened to prevent debris from entering the River Trent A working scale model of the complete pumping station and screen chamber was constructed to ensure that it worked correctly; this allowed us to ensure the screens would function in the way they were designed. HUBER Technology Supplied 2 x HUBER Storm Screen ROTAMAT® RoK1 Objective The two storm screens were designed to screen the full maximum storm flow of 6,000 l/sec delivered from the 6 storm pumps. The 6mm two dimension screens prevent debris and screenings from entering the River Trent during storm conditions, both screens will operate as soon as a storm pump starts. Any screenings captured by the screens will be discharged back into the dry weather flow channel to be treated and removed by the current inlet works. Solution Through the early involvement in the project, several possible solutions we developed using a variety of screen designs depending on the flow rates and design of the pumping station. Options were considered using up to four screens and different solutions to potentially remove the screenings into a dedicated screening handling plant. The final solution involved the use of two 700mm diameter screens with a length of just over 8,000mm, mounted on opposite weirs to screen the full flow. The screenings collected by the screens are transported by an auger to the non-drive end where they are discharged via a discharge scraper into the dry weather flow channel. This allowed the screenings to be returned to the flow to be removed by the inlet screens at the site. By utilising a double dissipation zone cover on the screen we could ensure no storm flow would bypass into the dry weather flow channel and then overwhelm the inlet works. The double dissipation zone prevents flow from entering the screen over the weir but allows any flow transported by the auger to pass to the outfall. The screens start to operate when the storm pumps start and will run on after a storm event to ensure the screen basket is clean for the next storm event. The project was successfully completed and commissioned in December 2018 and is now ready to operate. “The high profile nature of the project meant that it was imperative we engaged early and effectively so that a suitable innovative solution could be agreed.” The project was delivered on time and to budget and is an excellent demonstration of close involvement with the water company and the contractor.” (Richard Willis, Area Manager) Installation photo Pumping station and screen chamber Storm screen operation[...]
[...]Stormwater Screens Combined sewage screens for wastewater treatment at sewer overflows and stormwater discharges HUBER Storm Screen ROTAMAT® RoK1 Stormwater Screens HUBER Storm Screen ROTAMAT® RoK2 Stormwater Screens Innovative HUBER System Solutions for Combined and Stormwater Treatment Advanced combined and stormwater treatment in municipal combined sewers is a main issue with regard to sustainable environmental and water protection. HUBER screens are used to retain debris and other coarse solids within the sewer systems and to prevent them from overflowing into receiving water bodies during storm events. Our screens can be installed upstream of, on top, or downstream of overflow weirs. With solids retention, constant design retention level and overflow measurement, HUBER offers reliable solutions for a lot of problematic situations in combined and stormwater sewers. An innovative combination of mechanical treatment systems for combined and stormwater overflow ensures sustainable environmental protection and improved water quality. The optimally suited screen is selected depending on the required or desired capture rate, flow requirement and structural conditions. Our global presence and experience allows our experts to propose the best solution to any problem and guarantees a maximum operating reliability and reduced investment and operating costs. FAQs Frequently Asked Questions Where is a storm screen used? Storm screens are used in the combined storm and sanitary sewage line of a sewerage system at storm water overflows. These overflow structures serve to relieve the sewer network during rain events by temporarily storing wastewater or directly discharging it into the watercourse. How often does a relief discharge take place? Depending on the region and the type of structure, overflow discharge at a combined sewage screening system occurs several times a year. Usually, it is assumed that a storm screen is in operation for about 1000 hours in 10 years. What can be done to keep screenings from combined sewer overflows out of a water body? In a combined sewer system, direct overflow discharge to a water body can occur several times a year. Many municipalities therefore use a storm screen to prevent coarser solids from entering the watercourse in the event of overflow discharge.[...]
[...]Spain Spain and the wider Mediterranean region experience intense rainfall repeatedly within very short time periods. This has increased over the last decade. During such events, when several hundred millimetres of rain fall in a short space of time, the ground can no longer absorb the water. This is particularly the case when the heavy rainfall follows a long period of hot weather with no precipitation. Even the smallest streams can quickly turn into frightening rivers that sweep everything away, causing great damage to people and the environment. Recent events in the greater Valencia area in 2024 have shown how quickly heavy rainfall can turn into a disaster. To avoid such disasters, space must be created for excess rainwater so it does not flow uncontrollably through cities and cause devastation. Spain’s solution: storm water tanks Spain's answer to this is storm water tanks. Rainwater is collected in large channels, some of which are up to six metres wide, and fed into an underground storage facility. This reduces the strain on sewage treatment plants and enables valuable rainwater to be stored temporarily or discharged in a controlled manner. However, this rainwater is heavily polluted, carrying all the coarse materials that accumulate on the streets and in the sewers during periods of heavy rainfall. HUBER Multi-Rake Bar Screen RakeMax® in use The HUBER Multi-Rake Bar Screen RakeMax® can be used here to effectively remove screenings from the rainwater – fully automatically. This protects the environment and significantly reduces operating costs, as manual cleaning is no longer necessary. In the Madrid region, great efforts are being made to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. Canal de Isabel II, a state agency responsible for managing all phases of the integral water cycle in the greater Madrid area, currently supplies and connects more than 6.6 million people. The existing sewer network is approximately 16,000 km long and comprises 155 wastewater treatment plants with a total capacity of 3.2 million m 3 per day. Spain currently has a total of 470 rainwater retention tanks. Of these, 70 are located in the greater Madrid area and are the responsibility of Canal de Isabel II. Storm water tanks Butarque and Arroyofresno With the Butarque and Arroyofresno (Pinos) rainwater retention tanks, each with a capacity of up to 400,000 m³ (the largest capacity in the EU), the Spanish HUBER subsidiary HUBER Technology España, S.L.U. has already implemented significant projects with the Multi-Rake Bar Screen RakeMax® for screening storm water. In both plants, the HUBER RakeMax® screens reliably ensure that rainwater is freed of floating matter and waste, allowing the water to be pumped into the sewage treatment plants for further treatment without overloading them. Storm water tank Abronigales With the Abronigales project, HUBER Technology España, S.L.U. was able to secure another contract for the treatment of rainwater in storm water tanks. The Abronigales storm water tank has a capacity of around 200,000 m³, which is significantly smaller than Butarque and Arroyofresno. However, the incoming volume flow of 100 m³/s is the largest to date. The request from the Canal de Isabel II authority reached HUBER Technology España, S.L.U. at the end of 2023 and the project was completed within just six months. Previous heavy rainfall events had demonstrated that manually cleaning the Abronigales underground rainwater retention basin was costly. Therefore, a quick and effective solution had to be implemented within a very short time As there were no channels in this underground building to date, we were free to design the channels, and Canal de Isabel II built them based on our proposals and hydraulic calculations. 20 of HUBER Multi-Rake Bar Screen RakeMax® The decision was made to use 20 HUBER Multi-Rake Bar Screen RakeMax® 5760x1775/40 75°, which then discharge the screenings into a conveyor belt provided by the customer. Thanks to excellent cooperation between HUBER Technology España, S.L.U., Canal de Isabel II, and HUBER SE's internal departments, the order was placed in April 2024 and production could begin. As planned, the 20 HUBER RakeMax® screens were delivered in four stages by the end of September 2024. The aim was to install and commission all 20 machines before the rainy season in autumn 2024. Unfortunately, the weather was uncooperative, resulting in a delay of installation of a few weeks. Commissioning was successfully completed in December 2024. The first rainfall events have already shown that the HUBER RakeMax® screens can be relied upon: a reliable partner for screening rainwater – state of the art. Further projects in the pipeline And the success story continues: At the end of 2025, another storm water tank in Madrid (La China with a capacity of 130,000 m³) is to be equipped with HUBER RakeMax® screens. In addition, we are already in discussions with Canal de Isabel II regarding the emergency relief of the Abronigales storm water tank, equipped with HUBER Storm Screen ROTAMAT® RoK2 systems. Our RakeMax® screen is a success story, and we look forward to many more future storm water projects we will complete together![...]
[...]Ruggell, Liechtenstein Due to ever increasing surface sealing high amounts of rain water occur suddenly and flow into the sewer system along with domestic wastewater. As the stormwater amounts which occur are very high therefore, the flow capacity must be regulated by means of stormwater tanks to relieve the sewer system. The municipality Ruggell therefore commissioned the engineering office Wenaweser+Partner Bauingenieure AG in Ruggell (Liechtenstein) to plan the stormwater tank "Kirche". Now as the stormwater tank has been erected the combined water (stormwater and domestic wastewater) from the sewers can be stored and passed on to the sewage treatment plant after storm events. At the tank inlet the stormwater is treated at first with HUBER HSW screens. If the stormwater tank capacity is exceeded, the water passes a second treatment stage before the overflow is discharged to the receiving water course. In this way the pollution load the receiving water course has to cope with is reduced to a great extent. Depending on their mode of operation one distinguishes between different types of stormwater tanks: tanks designed to retain the first amount of discharged stormwater and stormwater tanks with overflow for settled combined sewage and tank overflow. The combination of both types is called a compound basin. The water in the stormwater tank designed to retain the first amount of discharged stormwater is very polluted as it contains the sediments in the sewers that are washed away with the first flush. The stormwater tank with overflow for settled combined sewage and tank overflow does not only store the rain water but also retains floating material and provides for additional clarification of the stormwater overflow discharged to the receiving water course. The stormwater tank "Kirche" is such a compound basin. Several HUBER products were supplied under this joint project between Picatech Huber AG and Helmut Breschan AG: two high-performance HUBER screens, pressure doors TT7 and TT7.Z and manhole covers SD7. The TT7 pressure doors are designed to be tight up to the upper tank edge and withstand the water pressure. The doors with locking levers are easy to operate. The manhole covers which were selected are pedestrian bearing manhole covers type SD7. As a gas pressure spring is installed as standard the cover can easily be opened and closed. We wish to take this opportunity to thank the municipality Ruggell for their cooperation and confidence in our products. It has been a pleasure for us to work with them and develop this solution. Facts and figures: Length 28.4 m, maximum width 16.5 m, maximum depth 8.4 m Maximum tank volume (compound basin): 250 m³ Maximum pump sump volume (pumping station): 200 m³ Installed capacity of the surplus pumping station: approximately 1,800 l/s[...]
[...]At the IFAT 2016 that took place in Munich from 30th May to 3rd June the HUBER group successfully presented its complete range of products and fields of application. With an exhibition stand of more than 1,100 m² HUBER presented a wide selection from its present product range and, moreover, a large number of innovations and improvements. Numerous visitors from all over the world took this opportunity to get an idea of our extensive business spectrum, innovative products and future-orientated solutions. We would like to use this opportunity to cordially thank all our visitors for their interest and trust placed in HUBER! The high response from the visitors and the many constructive meetings during the exhibition week are for us the confirmation that our products exactly meet the market requirements, both national and international, and provide innovative and reliable solutions for any application. It will remain our endeavour also in the future to commit ourselves to the development of innovative and customer-oriented solutions in the fields of wastewater and sludge treatment, potable water supply and energy efficiency.[...]
[...]Hanover, Germany The sewage sludge recycling plant in Hanover-Lahe will go into operation after successful hot start-up and optimisation: the plant, which has been equipped with two HUBER RotaDry® 2050 M disc dryer units, now recycles sewage sludge from the surrounding sewage treatment plants every day and supplies 5,000 households with district heating from a renewable source. The opening ceremony for the sewage sludge recycling plant took place on 6 July in the presence of Dr. Manfred Schüle (Managing Director of enercity contracting GmbH), Dr. Susanna Zapreva (Chief Executive Officer of enercity) and Hanover’s Mayor Belit Onay. Recycling 130,000 tonnes of sewage sludge per year The primary goal of the plant, which was planned and built by sludge2energy GmbH as the general contractor, is to recycle around 130,000 t of drained sewage sludge per year. A further goal is the return of the valuable and finite raw material phosphorus from the sewage sludge ash. As a result, enercity contracting GmbH is already making it possible today to comply with the recovery of phosphorus from wastewater, legally required as of 2029. HUBER supplied key plant components With the two disc dryers, HUBER supplied two key components for the Hanover-Lahe recycling plant. The sewage sludge delivered by various sewage treatment plants is supplied to the respective dryers by a bunker crane and piston pumps. The two HUBER RotaDry® 2050 M disc dryers dry the sludge from an average of approx. 22% DR to approx. 40% DR. The partially dried sewage sludge is then autothermally recycled in the subsequent, fluidised bed incineration unit. This means that without additional fuel, the thermal energy from the combustion is sufficient to supply the consumers of the steam system with steam. The installed turbine also makes its contribution to covering the plants own electrical needs. Greener district heating for up to 15,000 citizens of Hanover In addition to sewage sludge utilisation, the plant also contributes to making district heating in Hanover greener. The sewage sludge utilisation plant supplies up to 15,000 customers within the supply area with regenerative heat. Consequently, fossil-fuelled heat is substituted in the district heating network. A majority of this extracted heat is provided by the vapour condenser supplied by HUBER. Here, the vapours evaporated in the disc dryers are re-condensed, the district heating water is heated to 90°C and then made available to consumers. The HUBER start-up team would like to thank all those involved for the constructive cooperation on the construction site and wish everyone smooth plant operation![...]
[...]On 22nd November, the UmweltCluster symposium on sewage sludge disposal and phosphorus recovery took place on the premises of HUBER SE in Berching. HUBER organised the event together with UmweltCluster Bayern e.V. - a Bavarian environmental collaboration initiative - and German Phosphorus-Platform DPP. The disposal of the sewage sludge that is generated from wastewater treatment in Germany costs about 500 million Euro per year. Up to now, sewage sludge disposal has meant that the sludge is either utilised as fertilizer being spread onto agricultural land or used for landscaping, or incinerated in power or cement works and mono-incineration plants. But there is an amendment of the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance (AbfKlärV) coming up with far-reaching changes relating to the utilisation of sewage sludge. The amendment, which will presumably come into force in 2017, stipulates a significant reduction of the agricultural use of sewage sludge and commits larger sewage treatment plants (for more than 50,000 PE) to recover the phosphorus. In addition to promoting the recovery of valuable material, this legal regulation is intended to protect also the groundwater against further contamination by pharmaceutical residues. This attracted great interest among sewage plant operators, operators of incineration plants, associations for sewage sludge utilisation, politics, engineering offices and research institutes. We finally counted more than 170 participants from Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse and Austria. They were welcomed by Mr. Mayr of the UmweltCluster Bavaria, Mr. Georg Huber, CEO of HUBER SE, and Dr. Schnee of the German Phosphorus-Platform. At the beginning, Dr. Schnee as the moderator of the event read out a statement of the Bavarian State Ministry for environment, health and consumer protection on the future requirements on sewage sludge disposal in Bavaria. Prof. Bischof and Prof. Mocker of the University of Applied Sciences Amberg-Weiden in Eastern Bavaria presented a comprehensive overview on the present state of the Sewage Sludge Ordinance amendment and the options of phosphorus recovery on sewage treatment plants and from sewage sludge ash in general. Dr. Markus Rödiger, consulting engineer from Stuttgart, reported about the energetic situation of small and medium-sized sewage treatment plants including sewage sludge drying in solar dryers and belt dryers. He also provided useful information how to fill energy gaps in advanced treatment. Dr. Heindl of HUBER SE explained some of the highly efficient HUBER machines and described a possible scenario for phosphorus recovery in Bavaria. He explained that enough capacity would be available in Southern Bavaria for the thermal utilisation of sewage sludge whereas four new utilisation plants would have to be erected in Northern Bavaria, among other mono-incineration pants, preferably on existing power plant sites. The actual recovery of phosphorus from the ash could be done in two centres, among other by a private fertilizer processing and trading company. Harald Plank of S2E GmbH, a subsidiary of HUBER SE and WTE Wassertechnik GmbH in Essen, informed about mono-incineration plants for the thermal utilisation of sewage sludge which have especially been designed as modular systems for dewatered sludge volumes of approx. 10,000 to 50.000 t/year. These plants are offered as complete systems including sludge storage, drying, incineration and storage of ash in a building. With great anticipation the audience had waited for what Thomas Knoll, Managing Director of the joint waste management authority Schwandorf, would tell about a very special project. He reported of a merger of several municipalities for thermal sewage sludge utilization which is unique so far and takes over the drying of the generated sewage sludges, among other those of the city of Regensburg. A new belt drying plant is planned to dry the sludge on the site of the waste-fired power plant in Schwandorf using exhaust heat. The dried sludge is planned to be co-incinerated in a nearby cement works. A site report of phosphorus recovery from ash was presented by Bernhard Ortwein of CNP-Technology Water and Biosolids GmbH. Sewage treatment plants with biological phosphorus elmination frequently have problems with phosphate deposits in the pipelines downstream of the digester. The AirPrex system prevents such operational problems through phosphate removal from the sludge liquor and, as a side effect, produces fertilizer in the form of magnesium-ammonium phosphate. Burghard Hagspiel of Stadtentwässerung Nürnberg (authority for waste water and surface water collection and treatment) reported about the latest state of the research project KRN-Mephrec on STP Nuremberg. The sludge there is dried and briquetted. Coke and lime are added then and this mix is melt-gassed in a cupola furnace. The products that are won from the tap are metal and phosphate slag. Phosphate slag is a well plant-available fertilizer. Michael Knust of WTE-Betriebsgesellschaft GmbH explained the sewage sludge disposal concept to be implemented on STP Hecklingen in Saxony-Anhalt. As a first step, a belt dryer will be installed. From 2018 on, it is planned to further operate a mono-incineration plant for sewage sludge as a BOT model. Dr. Turek of MSE Mobile Schlammentwässerungs GmbH (Mobile Sludge Dewatering PLC) presented a mobile plant for phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge which is installed in two 40ft sea transport containers. In a wet-chemical process, magnesium-ammonium phosphate is won from the sludge which can be used as fertilizer after drying and granulation. There were vivid discussions, particularly about the methods of recovering phosphorus from sludge or ash, the comparison of mono-incineration and co-incineration in cement works after prior phosphorus depletion and about the costs of the available techniques and how to implement them in practice. The successful event ended with a tour of the HUBER factory.[...]