Anyone taking a harbor tour in Hamburg is sure to notice them: the distinctive digestion towers of the Hamburg wastewater treatment plant. The plant not only purifies all of the city's wastewater, but also uses it to generate electricity with a generator converting the digested gases rising from the sewage sludge into energy. Three wind turbines and a large photovoltaic system are also part of Hamburg’s wastewater treatment plant. In total, it even produces more electricity than it needs for its operation. To ensure that the interaction of these energy generators runs smoothly, Hamburg’s wastewater treatment plant relies on active filters from Reinhausen.
Waste water generates energy
Recycling something which has already been used is one of the most important principles of sustainability. Hamburg is implementing this on a grand scale, with its wastewater treatment plant also generating electricity for the plant as well as for Hamburg’s residents.
Waste water generates energy
Recycling something which has already been used is one of the most important principles of sustainability. Hamburg is implementing this on a grand scale, with its wastewater treatment plant also generating electricity for the plant as well as for Hamburg’s residents.
Secure grid – power for all
The previously thickened sewage sludge is stored in a total of ten digesters, and the thermal energy generated by the digester gases is converted into electricity which is used to supply the sewage treatment plant. Some of the gas is also processed and fed into the public grid as bio-methane. In addition to the energy from the digester gases, the wind turbines belonging to the wastewater treatment plant generate up to three megawatts of power and the plant also has a 1,300-square-meter photovoltaic system, which contributes to the power supply. This makes Hamburg’s wastewater treatment plant one of the most modern in Europe.
To ensure that not only the wastewater is cleaned, but also the power grid, GRIDCON® active filters, which reduce harmonics and improve the perfomance factor at a system voltage of 690V, have been reliably in use since 2014. Thanks to their integrated voltage regulation, no current transformer is required, and the broadband filtering prevents additional heating of operating equipment. And if the requirements of the Hamburg sewage treatment plant change in the future, the filters can be expanded accordingly on a modular basis.
Learn more about MR's GRIDCON® active filters
