Model Group builds sustainable wastewater treatment in Weinfelden with Veolia

Thurpapier, one of the oldest paper mills for high-quality corrugated cardboard packaging in Switzerland, has commissioned Veolia Water Technologies Germany to expand and modernise its wastewater treatment.

All eyes on expansion: the Model Group is expanding the production of its paper mill at its headquarters in Weinfelden, and the capacity of the existing wastewater plant is to be increased accordingly. The contract for Veolia Water Technologies Germany includes the engineering, delivery and commissioning of the technology. In the future, the treated wastewater will be processed in accordance with environmental regulations so that it can be safely discharged into the nearby Thur river. The plant is designed for a final capacity of 2,290 m³/day. In addition, the production of biogas from the wastewater will make the site less dependent on fluctuating energy prices.

The project also includes extensive services such as plant field service, after-sales support and the supply of water chemicals. In addition, the treatment systems will be connected to the digital service platform Hubgrade

The new plant consists of the following components:

  • Biobed® Advanced EGSB (Expanded Granular Sludge Bed), an anaerobic process for the purification of highly polluted organic wastewater, producing biogas.
  • Calthane FA - for calcium reduction.
  • AnoxKaldnes™ MBBR using the Z200 carrier, a downstream suspended bed stage that can tolerate high calcium concentrations
  • Idraflot® dissolved air flotation (DAF) to separate solids.
  • Hydrotech™ disc filter to reduce fine solids remaining after flotation. 

All equipment and components used in this project are from the Veolia Water Technologies portfolio and are both commissioned and subsequently fully supported by experienced service personnel. The water chemicals are tailored to Veolia's technologies to ensure high-performance and efficient operation.

"Innovative key technologies are used in Weinfelden, which in this combination represent a groundbreaking reference for the wastewater treatment of paper mills. We can contribute our entire experience from planning to plant service and thus offer the Model Group reliable quality from a single source," explains Volker Alps, Managing Director Sales of Veolia Water Technologies in Celle. 

The technologies should not only be efficient, but also score points in terms of environmental and climate protection. The biogas produced in the Biobed process is therefore fed back into the paper production process as energy, and the amount of sludge is also considerably reduced with this special process. This reduces Model Group's consumption of primary energy and thus also reduces its CO2 footprint.

Having completed the preliminary planning phase with Veolia, Model Group is already assessing the project positively: "Veolia has extensive expertise in the treatment of industrial wastewater. Many of Veolia's competitors are not as broadly positioned," comments Philipp Lenhard, Manager Maintenance TPW from Model Group. "We know our wastewater treatment plant very well and are aware of its special features. Despite our knowledge, we have chosen to use Veolia's know-how with all its specialists. Our goal is to operate a stable wastewater treatment plant economically under optimal operating conditions. Together with an experienced plant supplier, we are most likely to achieve the path to an economically operated wastewater treatment plant."

The international project team of Veolia Water Technologies will supervise and monitor the commissioning of the biological process stages in the first year. Additional safety and stability will be provided by the integration of the digital service platform Hubgrade, via which all technical processes can be transparently displayed, controlled and optimised regardless of time and location.

Commissioning is planned for the end of 2022/beginning of 2023.
 

Contact

Tobias Jungke 
PR and Content Manager
Veolia Water Technologies Deutschland GmbH

Lückenweg 5, 29227 Celle
Phone:     +49 (0) 5141 803-562
Mobile:     +49 (0) 160 141 7575
[email protected]