Feature

Thames Water rolls out SEEPEX’s energy-reducing sludge solution

SEEPEX has developed a new system to improve dewatered sludge handling, enabling long distance transfer with reduced operational costs by using a combination of PC pump technology and dense-phase conveying.

03/05/2019 12:36:55

The technology has already been trialled by Thames Water at its Reading Sewage Treatment Works (STW) and is now being installed as part of the new Thames Water Riverside project, providing an energy-efficient, high-performance alternative to conventional sludge handling systems.

Following a visit by Thames Water representatives to observe SEEPEX’s SAI technology in action in Sweden, the company decided to measure the potential energy savings it could make by installing a trial SAI system at its Reading STW. This site had previously used piston pumps, but because of process limitations and high operating costs, Thames Water switched to SEEPEX’s multistage PC pumps in 2014. This solution halved Thames Water’s energy use, as well as reducing transport and maintenance costs. Four years on, it was time to see if SAI could improve things further.

The SAI Reading trial set out to not only prove the technology, but to quantify the additional energy savings that could be delivered by pumping the dewatered biosolids from the centrifuge discharge to the storage silo. A SAI trial unit, including full controls and monitoring, was installed on the SEEPEX multistage PC pumps for a trial period and the results were recorded.

Read the full article in the May issue of DPA

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.