[...]Winterthur, Switzerland With each of the following projects our customers substantially contribute to achieving CO 2 reduction goals. Utilisation of heat from wastewater for the Wintower high-rise building at Winterthur 22.000 m² is about the size of three football fields but is also the floor space of the 28 storeys of the Wintower in Winterthur, Switzerland. It is a real heating technology challenge to cool such a building in summer (= additional benefit) and heat it in cold winter months. About 600 kW heating energy is needed in winter. The HUBER ThermWin® system was installed and successfully put into operation at the beginning of this year. An amount of approximately 50 l/s wastewater is taken from the sewer and pre-treated in a ROTAMAT® Pumping Stations Screen RoK4, size 4,700/3. Two submersible pumps deliver the water to the two RoWin Heat Exchangers size 8 installed in the cellar of the Wintower. Heat transfer to the cooling medium takes place inside the heat exchangers. The medium is heated and supplies the heat pump with the necessary energy. About 600 kW are in this way provided for the heating system. The plant is also used for cooling in summer, extracting up to 600 kW from the building. It is an ideal energy sink not only due to its far higher heat capacity but also due to its temperature of about 20 ℃. All-year-round utilisa-tion and high coefficients of performance of the heating/cooling machine guarantee high saving potentials so that investment costs pay off soon. Project data Wintower: Technical data: – 2 RoWin Heat Exchanger units – 1 HUBER Pumping Stations Screen RoK 4 Operating parameters: – Load case heating: - Max. 480 kW extraction of heat from the wastewater - 585 kW heat input into the building – Load case cooling: - 600 kW extraction of heat from the building - max. 840 kW heat input into the wastewater – Wastewater volume: max. 50 l/s Utilisation of heat from wastewater in the thermal spa Burgerbad at Leukerbad Burgerbad is the biggest alpine thermal spa in Europe. Located at 1,400 m above sea level, its 10 thermal baths are constantly fed from several natural springs that are 50 °C hot. The vitalising thermal water is rich in minerals and invites to relax all year round in the middle of an impressive Alpine scenery. The wastewater from the baths contains grease from suncreams, skin particles, hairs, sand, etc.; the constant flow of 8 l/s still has a temperature of 30 °C. In the future, this energy will be used to heat buildings instead of being discharged to the sewage treatment works. The flow to the sewer outside the building transports the 30 °C hot wastewater into a concrete channel where the two HUBER Heat Exchangers, type RoWin B (= tank version) are installed below ground surface level. The cooled wastewater can be discharged to the sewer. Automatic cleaning of the exchanger surfaces of the HUBER RoWin Heat Exchanger ensures constant heat transfer. The secondary circuit of the two heat exchangers, coupled with a parallel plate exchan-ger for clean water, transfers the combined wastewater heat energy with a temperature of about 20 °C to the new heat pump plant for a heating capacity of > 1000 kW. Plant start-up will take place in autumn 2011, the old oil-fired boiler will be dismounted after plant start-up. Project data Burgerbad Technical data: – 2 RoWin B Heat Exchanger units (tank design) Operating parameters: – Load case heating: - Max. heat extraction from process water: 585 kW - Heat input into the building: 780 kW – Max. wastewater flow: 50 l/s Utilisation of heat from wastewater in a wood processing industry Can you imagine how much heat energy is hidden in a flow of 150 m³/h process-internal circulation water with a temperature between 50 °C and 58 °C, or how it is cooled by about 8 °C by the HUBER RoWin Heat Exchanger? About 1,200 kW of energy (cooling capacity) is available to heat the production halls and offices in a wood processing industry. The production plant operates 24 hours, its circulation water contains a lot of wood fibres and critical aggregates. Every type of heat exchanger tested before had the problem that its surface got almost completely blinded within a very short time. It turned out that only the HUBER RoWin Heat Exchanger with automatic surface cleaning and solids removal is able to ensure the reliable utilisation of waste heat. Basic tests over several weeks proved that the exchanger surfaces are perfectly cleaned every day and encrustation is reliably prevented. In summer, however, the circulation water sometimes reaches a temperature of up to 58 °C, which is a critical range that can have a negative impact on product quality. It is therefore an obvious solution to utilise the HUBER RoWin Heat Exchangers in summer to cool the circulation water. This can be achieved by introducing the cooling water extracted from the nearby river to the secondary circuit of the same heat exchangers (= additional benefit). So, the huge waste heat potential can be used to heat buildings in winter and guarantee constant product quality in summer. Under economic aspects, there should be a strong incentive for the use of this system. Project data wood processing industry: Technical data: – 2 RoWin Heat Exchanger units Operating parameters: – Load case heating: - Max. heat extraction from wastewater: 1000 kW - Heat input into the building: 1300 kW - Max. amount of process water: 42 l/s – Load case cooling: - Heat extraction from process water: 940 kW - Max. heat input into the receiving water body: 940 kW - Max. amount of process water: 17 l/s Other projects for wastewater heat utilisation in process Chemical production Potatoe processing industry Thermal spa Muncipal wastewater upstream and downstream of a WWTP Sea water Paper production Slaughterhouse wastewater The HUBER ThermWin® system with the RoWin Heat Exchanger in a tank or as a submerged version for sewers offers new solutions for the recovery of heat from wastewater and for cooling media that have been impossible previously.[...]
[...]Magdeburg, Germany The sewage treatment works Magdeburg/Gerwisch was officially commissioned in 1999 after a construction period of two and a half years. It is designed for 426,000 PE and operates with 90 percentage utilisation. An annual average of 17 million cubic metres of wastewater and stormwater is treated on this sewage treatment plant. All coarse waste material is retained in the three-line and two-line screening plant. When the sewage treatment works was planned 15 years ago for the installation of three fine screens, additional space was already planned for the later installation of three upstream coarse screens. In order to prevent the operating troubles which especially occurred with increased screenings volumes after storm events the plant operators Städtische Werke Magdeburg GmbH recently decided to order the three coarse screens. The order for the coarse screens was placed with HUBER and we supplied and installed three RakeMax® screens with 20 mm bar spacing each. The channel width on site is 1,800 mm, channel depth is 1,500 to 1,900 mm. The type of coarse screen we supplied has an effective screen rack width of 1552 mm and a rack height of 1,650 mm. The screen design and hydraulic layout is based on 1,040 l/s per screen. The bar rack is designed to ensure the individual screen surface segments can easily and quickly be replaced even one against the other. The design with the bar rack divided into small segments instead of individual bars increases the static stiffness of the screen rack. Stability is increased even if the screen rack is exposed to higher loads. A total of six rake bars with screw-fastened screen combs are installed on the chain system. Also the screen combs are made up of individual segments for easy and quick replacement if required. Due to the hydraulic conditions on site tear-drop shaped bars are used, which have well proven in operation already. Due to the flow-optimised design of the bars a significantly lower head loss can be achieved than with flat bars. The rake tines, extending at least 20 mm deep and far through the bars at the narrowest points of the screen rack, ensure that all screenings are taken up very reliably. The chains are driven by an electric motor. Maintenance-free ceramic bearings are used in the underwater areas. The chain side bars and bushings are made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel. The rollers are made of special plastic material due to the low frictional resistances. An electro-mechanical overload protection system (spring assembly with deflection monitoring) reliably ensures that the process is interrupted when the preset overload is reached, or in case of a blockage. A wiper pushes the removed screenings from the rake shelf by into the feed hopper of the downstream wash press. Each wash press is designed for a throughput of 3 m³ screenings per hour and achieves a DS content of at least 35%. The compacted screenings are dropped into the customer’s double-screw conveyor which transports the screenings to the disposal container. The three coarse screens and the wash presses were installed line by line as two lines always had to be available to ensure reliable wastewater treatment on site. After the successful exchange of data with the process control system and functional test of all switching and control units the respective coarse screen was put into operation for a test period of on average 5 weeks. The test operation of all three screens went off without problems. They have also operated without disturbances since their commissioning in April 2012. On this occasion we would like to thank all parties involved in the project, especially everyone at the Magdeburg/Gerwisch sewage treatment works and PWU Planungsgesellschaft Magdeburg, for the trust placed in HUBER.[...]
[...]Malta The Ta' Barkat sewage treatment works, often referred to as the Malta South STW, is at the heart of Malta’s wastewater management system. It is situated near Xgħajra on Malta’s south-east coast and officially came into operation in 2011. It is the country’s largest sewage treatment works and treats around 60,000 m³ of wastewater every day. This corresponds to around 80 per cent of the island’s total wastewater volume. The plant uses a modern biofiltration process that alternates between aerobic and anoxic environments to efficiently treat the wastewater. Its commissioning has significantly improved water quality at beaches in the south, such as Marsascala and Kalkara. ‘New Water’ project An important feature of Ta’ Barkat is its reclaimed water treatment plant, which allows the water to be used for agricultural irrigation. Here, the already treated water is further purified through ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO) to such a high standard that it can be used as high-quality irrigation water for agriculture. The result is Class A water, the quality of which, according to the operator Water Services Corporation (WSC), even exceeds the standards set by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) for the irrigation of food crops. Currently, up to 9,000 m³ of ‘New Water’ is produced daily. However, it is expected that daily production will need to be increased to 20,000 m³/d by 2028. In the long term, the project is intended to cover up to 35 per cent of the agricultural sector’s water requirements. The main objective is to achieve a ‘net-zero impact’ on the natural water cycle by replacing illegal or excessive extraction from wells with sustainable reuse. To protect the downstream ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis plant (UF-RO system), drum filters were originally used as ultra-fine screens downstream of the secondary clarifier. However, these did not provide the necessary purification performance. The TSS values in the effluent from the drum filters were regularly in the range of 20–40 mg/l, leading to high operating costs for the UF membrane and, consequently, plant downtime. For this reason, the operator conducted an in-depth review of alternative technologies for ultra-fine filtration of the treated effluent. Ultimately, it was decided to replace the drum filters with cloth filters in order to ensure a better effluent quality for the operation of the UF-RO system. HUBER solutions in use In January 2024, HUBER SE was commissioned via a local partner to upgrade the plant with a cloth filtration stage. At the WSC’s request, the system was installed in tanks. Following intensive detailed discussions and coordination with all parties involved, three HUBER Pile Cloth Media Filter RotaFilt®, size 2700, were delivered to Malta in November 2024. After more than a year of satisfactory operation, a routine inspection carried out by a HUBER service team in collaboration with the operator identified potential for improvement in the overall functioning of the plant. The aim is to increase plant availability and improve operational performance. This is because the pile fabric filtration stage must also significantly increase its net daily throughput in the course of 2026. Meanwhile, construction work on the expansion of the downstream filtration stages is also in full swing, to ensure the plant is optimally prepared for future requirements.[...]
[...]Munich, Germany On 18th October, Bavarian Economics Minister Zeil handed over the Bavarian Energy Awards 2012. HUBER SE received an award as first place winner in the category Energy Concepts and Initiatives for the innovativ and responsible use of energy. Bavarian Economics Minister Martin Zeil described the prize winning projects as ‘outstanding developments for an innovation-oriented energy turnaround’. The CO 2 -saving project ‘Thermal heat from sewers‘, which HUBER SE implemented in cooperation with the city of Straubing and GFM Ingenieure GmbH, supplies approximately 65% of the heat demand of 102 apartments, which is nearly 350,000 kWh per year. These savings are made possible by a special technical process: A special heat exchanger extracts the heat from the wastewater, which is warm water from showers, bathtubs, washing machines or kitchen sinks which flows into the sewer. A heat pump adjusts the temperature of the extracted wastewater heat to the temperature required to heat the apartments. Compared to geothermal energy and groundwater heat the wastewater heat solution provide high temperatures of at least 12 °C during the whole year. HUBER early recognised that the heat potential in wastewater is a precious energy source and developed at their headquarters and production in Berching the ThermWin system installed on STP Straubing. The heart of this innovative development is the RoWin Heat Exchanger. The RoWin Heat Exchanger is in direct contact with the municipal wastewater, despite all the pollutants contained within the wastewater. The engineers of HUBER SE have developed a self-cleaning method for the RoWin Heat Exchanger to ensure maximum heat transfer results are achieved and the economic efficiency of the complete system can be guaranteed. The project has been in operation since the icy winter in 2010 and convinced with a reliable heat supply already in the first year. HUBER SE received the Bavarian Energy Award mainly due to the use of regenerative energy sources and the resulting CO 2 savings of approximately 70 tons. The first Bavarian Energy Award was presented in 1999. Since 2000, the ceremony takes place every two years. The award winners are nominated in a multi-stage selection procedure by an independent jury of energy experts from several Bavarian universities.[...]
[...]Ceremonial award of the prizes endowed with EUR 10,000 in the Berching town hall by Bavarian Environment Minister Dr. Marcel Huber. The mechanical, chemical and thermal energy in wastewater can contribute a substantial share to the use of renewable energy. Moreover, even the "waste" produced on sewage treatment plants is increasingly used as basis material for the production of valuable substances. This issue therefore was made the subject of this year’s international Huber Technology Prize 2014: Resources and Energy from Wastewater. A lot of students from Germany and abroad submitted their ideas, proposals and elaborate project works. It was not easy for the jury to choose the winners from the numerous candidates, but finally Prof. Dr. Wilderer (TU Munich, Institute for Advanced Study), Dr. Drewes (TU Munich), Dr. Bischof (University of Applied Sciences Amberg-Weiden) and Dr. Grienberger (Chief Technology & Innovation Officer of HUBER SE) made their choice. In an official ceremony at the Berching town hall on 28 July 2014 the winners were announced and the prizes awarded to them by Bavarian Environment Minister Dr. Marcel Huber after the invited guest had been welcomed by Ludwig Eisenreich, mayor of Berching, and Willibald Gailler, head of the district authority as well as by Georg Huber, CEO of HUBER SE. Bavarian Environment Minister Marcel Huber pointed out that wastewater is a heat and energy source that will gain in importance in the future and a liquid raw material that must increasingly be utilised. In order to tap into the unused potential of discharged water the Bavarian Environment Ministry supports the practical implementation of innovative technologies and ideas. In Bad Abbach, Bavaria, for example, a pilot project for the energetic optimisation of smaller sewage treatment plants is currently carried out. The project is not only of regional importance but meaningful across the whole of Bavaria. Due to oxygen-free sewage sludge stabilisation biogas is generated. Two third of the power demand on site can be covered with this biogas. Prof. Dr. Wilderer explained the spirit and purpose of the Huber Technology Foundation and why the competition has for the first time been split into two categories, namely 'students' and 'doctoral researchers'. In his laudatory speech Prof. Dr. Bischof announced that two winners per category have been selected due to the high quality papers submitted by the competition participants. In the category 'doctoral reseachers' the prize money of € 2,500 went to Ms. Sabine Sané from Freiburg (Germany) and Mr. Quilin Wang from Brisbane, Australia. Ms. Sané is a doctoral student of the research group for bioelectrochemical systems at the Institute for Microsystems Technology of the Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg. In her paper "Energy-efficient removal of micro pollutants from wastewaters with hybrid microbial/enzymatic bioelectrical systems" she presented a bioelectrochemical system for the removal of micro pollutants. Her concept is highly innovative and takes up several ideas some of which have already been investigated individually and separately (enzymatic degradation of trace substances using fungi, electrochemical degradation of trace substances and energy generation). From the point of view of conventional wastewater technology, modern interdisciplinary issues are raised and combined with each other. Her idea shows new ways that are very interesting under scientific aspects and could stand for a real change in wastewater treatment. Qilin Wang, doctoral student at the Advanced Water Management Centre of the University of Queensland in Brisbane describes an approach how to improve the energy balance of a sewage treatment plant with the use of nitrous acid. His concept for an economical sludge treatment appears very innovative, well thought out and feasible in practice. Mr. Wang has proven individual steps of the described process by own preliminary studies. In the category 'students' the prize money of € 2,500 went to Ms. Alexandra Fumasoli from Switzerland and a team of two students from the University of Applied Sciences Amberg-Weiden, Ms. Barbara Eschlbeck and Mr. Dominik Peter. Alexandra Fumasoli from the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technolgy in Dübendorf describes a possibility how to produce in a simple way struvit (plant fertilizer) from urine with the use of an electrode and in this way recover the precious phosphate. Her idea is highly innovative and could represent a good solution for decentralized applications, also on a smaller scale. Barbara Eschlbeck and Dominik Peter, both students in the Master's degree course 'Environmental Technologies' at the University of Applied Sciences Amberg-Weiden, convinced the jury with their topic 'Integration of a sewage treatment plant into the energy turnaround; MembraneBioReactor and power-to-gas – a combination with a future'. They describe a very innovative idea which represents a useful addition under the aspect of the energy turnaround and the resulting oversupply of electricity ('much wind and much sun at the same time') as well as under the aspect of wastewater treatment. Also the combination with modern membrane treatment systems and the use of permeate as basic product for electrolysis is very innovative. After the official award ceremony all winners and guests got together to enjoy a 'Bavarian buffet' in the assembly room of the town hall to conclude the evening in an informal atmosphere. The word "wastewater" is commonly associated with a negative image. It can sicken people, spread unpleasant odours and contaminate the environment. To avoid such negative effects and support the natural water cycle without damaging the environment, wastewater is treated. Wastewater has been treated under this aspect for many years, partly for decades. But not much specific attention has been paid to the individual substances contained within wastewater and not much has been done to utilize the great potential of wastewater as a resource, apart from reusing the nutrients contained. Climate change and the growing world population are however leading to a paradigm shift. For wastewater as a sink of all civilisation activities includes more than only water and nutrients. Rare earths, metals of limited availability and valuable elements are frequently contained within the wastewater generated in different fields of industry and in municipalities. The Huber Technology Prize motivates young scientists and students to go new ways for the benefit of our environment.[...]
[...]Germany HUBER offers more than just machines; we provide tailor-made solutions for complex challenges. Our pre-sales services support industrial customers throughout the entire process, from initial contact to final implementation, with a particular focus on flotation, sludge dewatering and screening. The focus is on individual adaptations that meet each customer's specific requirements. Early insights through in-depth laboratory analyses In our laboratory and during on-site analyses and tests, we examine processes such as flotation, sludge dewatering and screening to check the feasibility and suitability of solutions at an early stage. These laboratory analyses provide valuable insights that pave the way for a tailor-made solution. Practical tests with pilot plants under real conditions In addition to laboratory testing, we offer customers the opportunity to test machinery and process technology on site under real conditions using our pilot plants. Our experts supervise the entire process, working closely with water treatment chemical manufacturers to achieve optimal results. This gives customers the opportunity to experience the technology first-hand and verify its practical suitability. Planning reliability through well-thought-out process concepts We support our customers with more than just installation drawings and plans; we also support them in planning the entire process by developing P&ID (Process and Instrumentation Diagram) diagrams that clearly show all relevant interfaces and modes of operation. This allows efficient optimisation of the planning process and precise tailoring of the solution to the requirements. From idea to sustainable solution Our goal is to provide comprehensive solutions, from initial feasibility analyses to final implementation. We collaborate closely with customers and planning offices to ensure the solution is technically and practically suitable and can be sustainably integrated into operational processes. As an experienced partner, HUBER will ensure the solution is implemented efficiently and continues to function effectively in the long term.[...]
[...]The new HUBER Disc Dryer RotaDry® completes the HUBER product portfolio for sewage sludge drying with contact drying. In combination with a sewage sludge mono-incineration plant, the disc dryer dries the sewage sludge to the ideal TR content and is thus optimally suited for utilisation in fluidized bed incineration plants. The HUBER Disc Dryer RotaDry® is designed for homogeneous partial drying of dewatered sewage sludge. It can dry exactly to the required TR content, thus enabling self-sustaining incineration in the fluidized bed incinerator. The HUBER RotaDry® is available in different sizes so that water evaporation of two to six tons per hour and dryer can be achieved. By using different disc diameters and numbers of discs, the dryer surface can be optimally adapted to the amount of generated sludge and the disc dryer can be operated in the ideal capacity range.[...]
[...]HUBER extends its product portfolio by a contact dryer for sewage sludge HUBER SE has expanded its range of sewage sludge dryers by adding a disc dryer to its future product portfolio. This dryer is based on the principle of contact drying and convinces by its compact design compared to other drying systems. Especially in combination with fluidized bed incineration systems, the HUBER Disc Dryer RotaDry® is the ideal addition to the overall process of a sewage sludge incineration plant. The strength of the disc dryer lies in the efficient, homogeneous and compact partial drying of sewage sludge. Due to its optimized design, a high specific water evaporation related to the disc surface is possible. Combined with a small footprint, this results in a high evaporation of water per dryer on a small area. The dryer can dry exactly to the required DR content and thus enable a self-sustaining combustion in the fluidized bed furnace. Costly and wear-intensive backmixing, as required for full drying, is no longer necessary. Steam from the power generation turbine serves as heat source for dryer heating. Thus, this waste heat can also be used energetically in a sensible way. The HUBER RotaDry® is available in different sizes, so that water evaporation of two to six tons per hour and dryer can be achieved. By using different disc diameters and numbers of discs, the dryer surface can be optimally adapted to the amount of generated sludge and the dryer can be operated in the ideal capacity range. Basic design of the disc dryer From a sludge bunker, the sludge is delivered to the dryer by a pump, and there falls through an opening into the cylindrical dryer body. Inside the dryer, between 40 and 64 hollow discs are welded onto a rotor. Saturated steam streams through the discs and heats them. The steam comes from the turbine, which generates electricity from the heat generated during combustion. Before entering the dryer, the steam must be conditioned so that it flows into the interior of the rotor as saturated steam. On the disc surfaces, the vapour reaches its condensation temperature. The rotor is driven by a gear motor, the speed of which can be changed by a frequency converter. Dewatered sludge is normally supplied with a DR of 20 - 30%. The sludge heats up in the dryer, and the evaporation of water increases the drying degree of the sewage sludge. The (partially) dried sewage sludge leaves the dryer with 40 - 45% DR via the discharge screw. The vapour dome serves to draw off the water vapour produced. In a condenser, the condensation heat of the vapour can be partially recovered and fed into a district heating network, for example. Another possibility is the use of a spray condenser, in which the thin sludge can be preheated, thus reducing the polymer consumption for the centrifuge. Vapour condensate treatment has a special part to play. As a result of the high contact temperature on the discs, the condensate contains an increased load of particulate and dissolved COD and an increased ammonium content. There is a difference here between dryers on sewage treatment plant sites and on power plant sites. While on a wastewater treatment plant, the vapour condensate stream can usually be fed to the wastewater treatment process if the process engineering allows it, this possibility does not exist on power plant sites. Before the condensate can be fed via the sewerage system to a municipal sewage treatment plant, it must be cleaned. Using own well-proven technology, HUBER has developed an innovative process that uses mechanical filtration, adsorption and stripping. The condensate is purified to such an extent that it can be discharged into the wastewater while complying with the required limit values. A new and yet proven dryer complements the HUBER product portfolio Disc dryers have been used in conjunction with sewage sludge incineration plants since the 1980s. Especially in large municipal incineration plants the technology is "state-of-the-art". Some of the dryers have been running reliably for over 30 years. Durable and convincing quality thus ideally fits HUBER's corporate mission statement. Partial drying of sewage sludge for self-sustaining incineration will thus in future be covered by the RotaDry® disc dryer within the HUBER product family. Now, in addition to the HUBER Belt Dryer BT (convective drying with hot air) and the HUBER Solar Sewage Sludge Dryer with the HUBER Sludge Turner SOLSTICE® (drying with solar energy by radiation and convection), the customer has a third option, namely heat transfer by contact with the HUBER Disc Dryer RotaDry®. With these different drying techniques, HUBER as a system supplier is able to advise its customers in the best possible way to meet their specific needs. Outlook Due to the Waste Sewage Sludge Ordinance adopted in Germany in 2017, the need for new sewage sludge mono-incineration plants is growing. It is becoming apparent that other European countries are also tightening their regulations, thus creating the conditions for sustainable sewage sludge disposal in the respective countries. The international interest in a compact contact dryer for partial drying of sewage sludge is rising. Summary With the RotaDry® disc dryer, HUBER has put the missing piece of the puzzle into the overall process of thermal sewage sludge utilisation. Thermal drying is an indispensable process component to ensure the sewage sludge has the right dry content and to remove the part of the water that cannot be separated mechanically. The mono-incineration of the sewage sludge achieves an enormous volume and mass reduction and provides for the possibility of phosphorus recovery. At the same time, thermal sludge utilization produces electricity and provides the necessary heat for the drying process. A reliable condensate removal system , an innovative control system , an optimised feed and a pressure loss reducing steam control system make the HUBER Disc Dryer RotaDry® the perfect sewage sludge dryer for subsequent incineration. We would be pleased to advise you individually, and you are also welcome to send your inquiry to sludge@huber.de ![...]
[...]Floods are a growing and serious threat. With rising sea levels and increasing weather extremes, the frequency and intensity of flooding is increasing worldwide. These natural disasters not only endanger human lives, but also cause considerable damage to infrastructure, property and the environment. Given this reality, it is crucial to take flood prevention measures and implement solutions such as flood-proof doors to minimise the risk and impact of flooding. HUBER Flood-Proof Exterior Door TT6 HUBER has focussed its attention on the development of flood resistant doors and already has a product in its portfolio that meets these requirements: The HUBER Flood-Proof Exterior Door TT6 This door is designed to withstand up to 2 metres of water column, which corresponds to a pressure of 0.2 bar. This remarkable feature makes the door extremely resistant to the challenges associated with flooded environments. The specific design of the door makes it possible to effectively withstand the water pressure and thus protect the environment inside. Continuous optimisation HUBER is currently in an active phase of continuous optimisation of its flood-proof doors. A central focus here is on improving user-friendliness. The company is doing everything in its power to ensure that the door not only fulfils the highest safety requirements but is also extremely practical and easy to use. This focussed effort to increase the usability of the flood resistant door demonstrates HUBER's commitment to creating solutions that are not only effective but also practical and user-friendly. This not only improves protection against flooding but also optimises the everyday use of the door.[...]
[...]The combined sewer tunnel in Lisbon is a state-of-the-art infrastructure project that protects the city from flooding caused by heavy rainfall and drains urban wastewater during dry weather periods. In the past, extreme rainfall of up to 60 mm per hour repeatedly caused considerable damage in lower-lying districts of the city. The Túnel Monsanto-Santa Apolónia, the so-called ‘mega tunnel’, is the city administration's largest construction project to date and a central component of the urban climate adaptation strategy. With a length of exactly 4,975 metres and an internal diameter of 5.5 metres, the tunnel was designed to handle water volumes of up to 40 cubic metres per second. This corresponds to around 2.4 million litres per minute or the capacity of 16 Olympic swimming pools within 60 seconds. Efficient water drainage through hydraulic optimisation The system begins in the higher-lying areas of the city, where specially developed inlet structures with a hydraulic capacity of 200 cubic metres per minute collect surface water. A branched network of collection pipes transports the water together with local wastewater to the main tunnel with minimal energy loss. The flow velocity reaches up to 5.2 metres per second, ensuring efficient drainage without backwater and sedimentation. The final outlets are strategically located in the immediate vicinity of the River Tagus and have been designed so as not to interfere with the natural currents of the river. A special energy dissipation system reduces the flow velocity of the discharged water to prevent erosion of the banks. Engineering challenges and construction method The tunnel's construction incorporates state-of-the-art engineering techniques to ensure stability, durability and minimal impact on the surrounding urban structure. During the construction phase, complex geological challenges were overcome, including the crossing of a wide variety of rock layers and minimising the impact on existing buildings and transport routes. Prefabricated reinforced concrete segments were used to stabilise the tunnel wall. Reliable and efficient machine technology from HUBER for combined sewer water screening A central component of the tunnel system is a multi-stage combined sewer water screening system, which prevents coarse contaminants from entering the River Tagus by returning the retained screenings to the local sewer system. The system essentially consists of the following HUBER machines: 12x HUBER Storm Screen ROTAMAT® RoK1 6x HUBER Screw Conveyor Ro8 T 1 HUBER Launder Channel HLC The complete solution from HUBER will ensure efficient retention and removal of particles larger than 6 mm in the future. Two-dimensional screening by the HUBER RoK1 reliably removes organic and inorganic solids such as leaves, plastic waste and sediments before the water is discharged into the river. The downstream screw conveyors then transport the concentrated screenings from the RoK1 to the launder channel, which is used to discharge the screenings from the system. This measure significantly improves water quality and protects the ecological balance in the Tagus. Sustainability and long-term impact Depending on rainfall intensity, the planned annual volume of water that can be diverted through the tunnel is up to 25 million cubic metres. This enormous capacity will significantly reduce the risk of flooding in Lisbon, particularly in districts such as Baixa and Alfama, which have been badly affected in the past. Modern engineering technology and sustainable urban planning This major technological project not only represents a milestone for the city, it also sets new standards in urban flood prevention. With increasing weather extremes as a result of climate change, the rainwater tunnel shows how modern engineering technology and sustainable urban planning can be successfully combined.[...]