The water quality of surface waters is of great importance for the protection of the environment and the preservation of aquatic ecosystems. Wastewater treatment plants play a crucial role in the treatment of wastewater to ensure that it is adequately treated before being discharged into water bodies. Conventional mechanical and biological treatment processes in wastewater treatment plants are able to effectively remove many pollutants, but certain trace substances, such as pharmaceutical residues and chemical compounds, may still be present after this basic treatment.
These trace substances pose a challenge as they have a potentially negative impact on the aquatic environment and the organisms that live in surface waters. Particularly sensitive waters used for aquatic food production or recreational activities require further removal of these trace substances to ensure high water quality and ecosystem protection. At the same time, the aim is to make wastewater treatment processes more energy-efficient. In this context, the project is focussing on the use of innovative technologies and the integrated use of renewable energies in order to enable further and at the same time energy-efficient and climate-friendly removal of trace substances in wastewater treatment plants.
The project aims to achieve a significant increase in realised solutions for the further removal of trace substances, particularly in small and medium-sized wastewater treatment plants, in order to make an effective contribution to environmental relief. The effects on free-living fish and other aquatic organisms are also taken into account, particularly in sensitive bodies of water such as the Edersee pilot site, which is used for both water supply and fishing.
The project aims in particular to optimise the energy efficiency of the fourth treatment stage by carefully coordinating energy consumption, plant performance and the use of generated energy. The additional energy required to date is a key reason why only a few small and medium-sized wastewater treatment plants currently utilise solutions for the elimination of trace substances. By integrating and optimising the use of renewable energies in the extended purification processes, the aim is to ensure that the intelligent and networked use of renewable energies makes the removal of trace substances affordable and attractive for small and medium-sized wastewater treatment plants and can therefore be used on a large scale. The results of the project will provide insights and best practices that can be transferred to other sensitive bodies of water, regardless of their use by humans. This contributes to the promotion of sustainable water management and supports the protection of the environment and the preservation of biodiversity in water bodies.
As part of the project, the linking of a fourth purification stage with renewable energies is being demonstrated for the first time in a small/medium-sized wastewater treatment plant. Until now, energy-intensive purification technologies such as ozone or membrane technology have only been used in larger sewage treatment plants. The project is investigating optimum energy efficiency through a control system that is tailored to energy consumption, plant performance and the utilisation of generated energy in order to make the widespread use of a fourth purification stage affordable.
The Hof University of Applied Sciences is in charge of project coordination, work and test planning for the test facilities in coordination with the industrial partners as well as scientific monitoring, test evaluation, documentation and publication. It is also responsible for the technical equipment of the test facility, while the industrial partners contribute the relevant process components for their part of the project.
The project utilises renewable energies such as hydropower and photovoltaics to provide the energy required for further trace substance removal. Surplus shares of the company's own energy production are to be made available to the basic process of the wastewater treatment plant.
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