The aim of the joint project KlimaPhoNds is the development and demonstration of a resource-saving and residue-free sewage sludge utilization in compliance with the future recovery obligation for phosphorus. The large-scale implementation of the process is intended to show for the first time that legally compliant phosphorus recovery can be achieved not only economically but also in a climate-friendly manner at a sewage treatment plant.
Background on the project
The developed process concept will be built and operated on a fully integrated technical scale at the Northeim wastewater treatment plant (Lower Saxony). The future required reduction of the P content in the dewatered sewage sludge to below 20 g P/kg DM will be achieved by a P re-dissolution from excess sludge and a precipitation of the phosphates from the centrate water of the excess sludge. The phosphorus is recovered as magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP). The planning, construction and operation of the technical plant is being carried out by the wastewater treatment plant operator EBA Northeim in cooperation with the CUTEC Research Center (Clausthal University of Technology).
At the same time, a nearly heat-neutral drying system for sewage sludge is being installed on a pilot scale using fluidized-bed evaporation drying. The drying technology is being developed, manufactured and operated by project partner KNOKE Industrie-Montage GmbH in collaboration with awama GmbH.
Plant construction will begin in August 2024. After completion of the construction work in summer 2025, commissioning and the one-year measurement program including process optimization will begin.
Anhand des einjährigen Anlagenbetriebs wird der Praxisnachweis erbracht, dass der Phosphorgehalt im entwässerten Klärschlamm im Jahresverlauf sicher auf unter 20 g P/kg TM abgereichert werden kann. Die aus den Betriebsdaten gewonnenen Erkenntnisse sollen interessierten Kläranlagenbetreibern bei Bedarf zur Verfügung gestellt werden.
