5) Pilot-scale fermentation unit to utilize industrial sewage for biogas production
Leszno Water Utility investment in Project BEST
Pilot-scale unit for testing sewage suitability for fermentation
Final report on the investment
Influence of industrial wastewater and co-ferments on the process of sewage sludge digestion for biogas production in the Henrykowo WWTP Leszno, Poland, LINK TO THE DOCUMENT
Summary
In the BEST Project, Leszno water utility and Henrykowo wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) invested in a pilot-scale fermentation unit in order to use sewage from e.g. meat industry for biogas production. The optimal amount and quality of sludge from varying industrial sources was tested and defined.
Before piloting the fermentation, a consultant company made a market research and identified the potential biodegradable waste suitable for the fermentation process. Furthermore, the consultant company evaluated the potential benefits and challenges of utilizing effluents containing heavy metals and other harmful substances from the point of view of sludge utilization for energy production. In order to do this, laboratory-scale tests were run before installing the pilot fermentation unit.
City of Leszno Henrykowo wastewater treatment plant
Leszno Water Utility Henrikowo wastewater treatment plant
City of Leszno is a beautiful old city, first established already in the 14th century. The City is situated in western Poland with approximately 65 000 inhabitants.
Leszno Water Utility owns Henrykowo waste water treatment plant (WWTP) that receives wastewaters and sewage sludge not only from the city area and surrounding communes, but also from several different industrial companies located in Leszno and neighboring areas. The main industrial sector delivering sewage to Henrykowo WWTP is meat industry. There is also potential for further growth of industries already existing in the region.
Henrykowo WWTP was built in 1996 and modernized in 2015. The treatment process includes mechanical separation, chemical phosphorus removal with ferro sulphate and biological treatment by activated sludge. Henrykowo WWTP receives every day 15 000 cubic meters of waste water, which makes 6 million cubic meters each year. Annual amount of industrial sewage is 600 000 cubic meters making approximately 10 % of all sewage. About one third of incoming industrial waste arrives by tanker trucks instead of pipelines.