News / ZS screw blowers save bacteria!
ZS screw blowers save bacteria!
In July 2010, a waste water treatment plant (WWTP) in Glemstal, close to Stuttgart, Germany, was flooded. Although there was no sewerage leakage into the surrounding area, the damage done to the aeration plant meant the vital bacteria that form an important part of the treatment process were at risk of being starved of oxygen.
"We knew we needed to get air to the bacteria and estimated we had three days before they would start to die off," says WWTP director Erich Penka. "Our vital bacteria need a huge amount of oil-free air per minute if they are to grow in sufficient numbers to treat the sewerage entering the plant. If the bacteria were to start to die off, we would be out of business for a long time."
Despite the best efforts of the local and regional fire brigades, the aeration plant could not be cleared of water quickly enough to prevent it flooding the plant, including the air blowers used to aerate the treatment plant. Such was the resultant water damage, the stationary air blowers needed to be removed and returned to the manufacturer for repair, a job that would take over six weeks to complete.
"All I needed after the flood was oil-free compressed air. And fast!" says Herr Penka."I reported to our District Office and they suggested I get in touch with Atlas Copco Rental. I made the call and, after outlining the problem, the Rental team and I came up with a structured planning. Essentially we would rent units to replace our failed units."
All this makes it sound quite simple. In practice, the needs of the treatment plant proved somewhat more complex. In outline, the solution was to bring in two Atlas Copco ZS+VSD75 screw compressors from Atlas Copco Rental Europe in Antwerp, Belgium. "With the temporary air supply in place, we monitored the development of our treatment bacteria closely, as we wanted to speed up the growth process," says Herr Penka. " With two similar ZS screw blowers running, the treatment plant was soon at its normal running mode."
Around six weeks later, the plant uncoupled the two rented units following the repair of the stationary blowers. The treatment plant is now back to full capacity, its bacteria saved by the timely intervention of Atlas Copco Rental.
