Severn Trent Water has installed SUEZ’s ZeeLung* Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) technology at its Spernal sewage treatment works in Redditch. The full-scale installation will be used to demonstrate the benefits of the technology to meet more stringent effluent ammonia targets that are required by AMP7.
The ZeeLung technology was selected by the utility for its ability to improve nutrient removal in existing tank volumes, while also reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions such as NO2, germane to meeting net-zero targets.
“ZeeLung is a proven technology that quickly and easily upgrades existing wastewater treatment plants for nutrient removal and capacity expansion, while directly reducing the energy consumption needed for operation,” said Kevin Cassidy, executive vice president engineered systems for SUEZ – Water Technologies & Solutions.
The ZeeLung installation will be at Severn Trent Water’s Resource Recovery and Innovation Centre, located at the Spernal STW in Redditch, Worcestershire and will treat a hydraulic capacity of approximately 5,800 m3/d.
It was designed to upgrade one lane of the existing Spernal STW activated sludge system to demonstrate the ability of ZeeLung to intensify treatment and reduce energy consumption. The project includes supply and commissioning of five ZeeLung cassettes and ancillary equipment.
ZeeLung technology is used to retrofit conventional activated sludge plants for nutrient removal and capacity expansion. The approach employs a gas permeable media to deliver oxygen to a biofilm attached to the media surface. In conventional wastewater treatment, 60% of the energy used is consumed by blowers that deliver bubbles to provide the oxygen necessary for the biological process.
With ZeeLung technology, oxygen is delivered through molecular diffusion without the use of bubbles, which reduces the energy required for oxygen transfer by up to four-times. This allows plants to significantly reduce their energy footprint while also increasing capacity and improving treatment quality. ZeeLung technology is in operation at full-scale on 4 continents.
