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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Cleaner water in the Aller river, in groundwater, and in agricultural areas – that is the goal of a joint project between Wolfsburg’s wastewater treatment facilities and the Fraunhofer Institutes UMSICHT and ISI. This is to be achieved with the help of a fourth treatment stage at the Wolfsburg-Stahlberg wastewater treatment plant. For the first time, the combination of membrane filtration with a regenerable adsorbent resin stage and activated carbon will be tested. This is expected to eliminate trace substances much more effectively and efficiently in the future. Concurrently, measures at Wolfsburg Hospital will reduce pollution from X-ray contrast agents.
The Wolfsburg-Stahlberg wastewater treatment plant treats wastewater from the city of Wolfsburg and surrounding municipalities. It is subsequently discharged into the Aller – one of Lower Saxony’s largest watercourses – and used from there for agricultural field irrigation, among other purposes. However, contamination with anthropogenic trace substances, such as cleaning agents or pharmaceutical residues, has been detected in the Aller. Such residues are also detectable in the groundwater beneath the agricultural fields, which is also used for irrigation.
Fourth treatment stage becomes mandatory
Currently, activated carbon adsorption is used as a proven method for removing trace substances at the wastewater treatment plant. However, this process has both economic and ecological drawbacks due to production, transport, and consumption. One solution for optimizing resources and improving performance is the addition of a fourth treatment stage, which will become mandatory in the EU by 2045 at the latest, phased in according to size. The Wolfsburg Wastewater Management Authority (WEB), operator of the wastewater treatment plant, is collaborating on this with the Fraunhofer Institutes UMSICHT and ISI. Another partner is Wolfsburg Hospital.
The core of the project is the combination of existing technology with newly developed approaches. Membrane filtration first removes solids, humic acids, and bacteria from the wastewater stream. “This allows trace substances to be efficiently captured in the subsequent treatment steps,” explains Dr.-Ing. Lukas Rüller of the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT. The activated carbon stage is supplemented with a new adsorber resin stage that can be regenerated directly on-site. “This allows us, on the one hand, to extend the service life of the activated carbon and minimize its consumption. On the other hand, it enables a regenerative recirculation process, which in turn reduces operating costs and the CO2 footprint.” A portion of the wastewater is specifically routed through the adsorbent resin stage to achieve additional removal efficiency, while the main stream continues to be treated with granular activated carbon (GAC).
In addition to the treatment stages at the wastewater treatment plant, Wolfsburg Hospital is helping to reduce the amount of X-ray contrast agents in wastewater through upstream measures. These include new urine bag solutions and separate toilets. As a result, the concentration of trace substances is reduced even before the actual wastewater treatment process begins.
Fraunhofer Expertise from Concept to Construction
Fraunhofer UMSICHT is supporting the project in the conceptualization, planning, and construction of the pilot plant in the partial flow. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2026. Furthermore, accompanying studies are being conducted to optimize the combination of processes, as well as energy and resource efficiency. The classification and assessment of the identified trace substance discharges and the interaction of the various treatment stages are, among other things, the responsibility of Fraunhofer ISI. “Together, we are creating a benchmark at a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Wolfsburg that will send a strong signal. In Germany alone, there are about 9,000 wastewater treatment plants that will sooner or later have to be equipped with a fourth treatment stage,” says Lukas Rüller, highlighting the potential of the pilot project.
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The “Wasserkreislauf Wolfsburg” project (Wolfsburg water cycle) is funded by the state of Lower Saxony.
Municipal wastewater treatment plants: In the EU, a fourth treatment stage will become mandatory by ...
Copyright: Fraunhofer UMSICHT
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Municipal wastewater treatment plants: In the EU, a fourth treatment stage will become mandatory by ...
Copyright: Fraunhofer UMSICHT
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