Optimization of Municipal and Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plants by System Analysis

Fraunhofer IGB has many years of experience in developing and optimizing purification processes for both municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants. In numerous projects, systematic analysis and detailed measurements were the key to the improvement of processes such as nitrification and denitrification, and to an increase in the production of biogas in various sewage treatment plants. In most cases, it was possible to optimize the entire operation significantly. This method saves funds which would otherwise have to be spent on plant reconstruction or alterations.

 

Our system analysis approach 

The Fraunhofer IGB approach to a solution begins with a careful evaluation of the operational logbooks. Here we not only determine all the usual design parameters, but also analyze how well a sewage treatment plant functions using process measurement and control measures for each and every section of the plant.

In addition, we often carry out a specific measurement program to determine how efficiently the individual purification steps are operating.

 

Advantages: cost-effective extension of sewage plants by specific analysis

This results in optimum customized solutions bringing each treatment plant up to state-of-the-art standards in a cost-effective way and helping operators to meet the specified target values. Such an approach is always worthwhile because it saves considerable sums otherwise needed for extending existing treatment plants.

Biological processes are supplemented by further methods when, for example, anorganic substances such as phosphates or ammonium salts are also to be recovered from waste water.

Experience in practice

Fraunhofer IGB has implemented its concept in numerous municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants. In all cases the performance of the wastewater treatment plant could be optimized at reasonable cost and adapted to the legally prescribed values.

Activation tank of a wastewater treatment plant
© Fraunhofer IGB, Marius Mohr
Activation tank of a wastewater treatment plant in Ilsfeld
Wastewater treatment plant in Fleinsbach (Leinfelden-Echterdingen)
© Fraunhofer IGB
Wastewater treatment plant in Fleinsbach (Leinfelden-Echterdingen)
Activation tank of a wastewater treatment plant
© Fraunhofer IGB, Marius Mohr
Activation tank of a wastewater treatment plant in Coimbatore, India

Reference projects

Economic extension of the sewage plant in Tauberbischofsheim by a denitrification step

 

Many wastewater treatment plants still lack the technical facilities for nitrogen elimination. In the example presented here, the municipal wastewater treatment plant in Tauberbischofsheim was unable to reliably comply with the required discharge values for ammonium and total nitrogen.

Preventing foam generation in the digestion tower of the sewage plant in Heidelberg

 

Fraunhofer IGB identified filamentous microorganisms as the cause of the foam. The seasonal occurrence of the filamentous microorganisms was attributed to oxygen entering the supposedly anoxic denitrification zone. Appropriate measures were taken to significantly reduce the formation of filamentous organisms and thus reduce foam formation.