HoSt’s thermal pressure hydrolysis (TPH) pilot plant is now operating at the Netherland’s wastewater treatment plant Echten. The first batch of sludge is hydrolyzed with steam and pumped to the digester.
The system reduces the cost of sludge treatment and allows recovery of the raw materials, the company says.
It is the first system in the Netherlands that digests sludge in a thermophilic digester, followed by a mesophilic digester.
In a TPH plant, a pre-treatment of the sludge takes place by the use of steam injection. After this pre-treatment, the sludge is pumped to the sludge digestion plant, also built by HoSt.
HoSt says the TPH-technology results in an increased biogas production, reduced residual sludge, and improved dewaterability. This results in higher revenues, lower costs and less waste.
Earlier this month Virginia’s Alexandria Renew Enterprises began operating a system to help clean wastewater that is expected to save up to 25 percent on energy and chemicals compared to conventional wastewater cleaning processes.
