Design Phase of ecReUse Pilot Plants Successfully Completed

As part of the BMUV-funded ecReUse project, the design phase of the pilot plants for optimizing the wastewater treatment plant has been successfully completed. The pilot plants – consisting of a membrane bioreactor (MBR), a primary sedimentation tank with an attached anaerobic digester, a continuous sand filter, and a camera-based monitoring system – have been adapted to local conditions and fully engineered. This lays the foundation for the next project phase: prefabrication of the plants in Germany.

 The MBR plant features two parallel treatment lines employing different ultrafiltration technologies and is housed in a 40-foot shipping container. It is designed for demonstration and training purposes and offers flexible control options both on-site and via online access. Additionally, a sedimentation tank has been developed to efficiently separate sludge and transfer it to an anaerobic digester for biogas production, which reduces energy demand in the MBR’s biological stage.

A continuous sand filter improves effluent quality, supporting subsequent use in aqua-/hydroponic systems. To enhance monitoring and energy-efficient operation, a non-contact, camera-based flow measurement system will be installed, complemented by a redundant radar sensor. The technical setup has been finalized and is now ready for production.

With the successful completion of the design phase, ecReUse partners have laid the groundwork for implementing energy-efficient and resource-saving measures in the wastewater treatment plant. The pilot plants will not only demonstrate and optimize treatment processes but also serve as training platforms for operators and decision-makers, promoting sustainable use of municipal water resources.