SON, Netherlands, June 6, 2012 – A company processing animal waste and facing challenges with nitrogen removal from wastewater is expected to save the equivalent energy consumption of 3000 households after partnering with Dutch water technology company Paques (see WWi video interview).
A new wastewater treatment plant will be constructed that will treat wastewater currently produced in Rendec Son’s factory, part of VION Ingredients, where animal waste is converted into biofuel, mainly used in power plants. This wastewater was previously treated in a conventional treatment plant.
A combination of anaerobic treatment and Paques’ ANAMMOX process (in which nitrogen is removed) will be used. Produced biogas will be converted into both electricity and heat in a combined heat and power plant.
Roel van den Borne, project leader on behalf of VION Ingredients, said: "The nitrogen in the wastewater was a bottleneck for successful application of this treatment in the Rendac process. It is very difficult to remove nitrogen with traditional processes. The ANAMMOX process has proven itself over the last decade. In cooperation with Paques, the feasibility of the combination of these techniques in our specific case was shown.”
It is hoped the new facility will enable a yearly reduction of 1,600 tons of CO2 emissions.
###
