In 2019, the existing sand washer at the Lidköping wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) had reached the end of its service life and was replaced with a sand washer from Hydria Water. Subsequently, the unit was upgraded using a retrofit kit developed for this purpose.
– The unit performed well from the outset, but following the upgrade we have achieved even better results – most recently 98.1% loss on ignition (LOI), says the operations manager at Lidköping WWTP.
Hydria Water’s latest sand washer, Sand Wash Alpha, was developed in close collaboration with Alpha Solutions, a world-leading company in CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations.
– The result is a completely new fluidization technology that increases both efficiency and the level of cleanliness in the washing process, says Andreas Riedel, Technical Manager at Hydria Water.
During the development of Sand Wash Alpha, Hydria Water’s engineers also focused on creating a retrofit solution that could be offered for existing machines already installed in the market.
– The retrofit kit makes it possible to upgrade an older sand washer. This creates compatibility and allows customers to benefit from technological advancements even with their existing installations, says Andreas.
Better Than Industry Practice
Peter Tengbom and his colleagues at Lidköping WWTP were initially satisfied with the newly installed sand washer. However, in consultation with Hydria Water’s service engineers, they decided to test the retrofit kit.
– The team from Hydria Water came and carried out the modification, and since then the unit has performed even better. The distribution of wash water is improved, and the analytical results we have received so far are very good, says the operations manager.
New samples are sent to the laboratory on a quarterly basis. The most recent analysis showed a loss on ignition of 98.1%, an ignition loss of 1.9%, and a dry solids content of 93.7%.
– Industry practice typically allows for 3–5% organic material. In Lidköping, we are down to 1.9%, and I know that we have several more very strong results coming in, Andreas notes.
Smart and Sustainable
The ability to upgrade existing installations is a key part of the smart and innovative engineering solutions for which Hydria Water has become known.
– We always strive to find solutions that minimize environmental impact while maximizing customer value and extending the service life of our equipment, says Andreas. Tobias Barrstrand, CEO of Hydria Water, agrees:
– Sometimes it is the seemingly small details that deliver the greatest benefits. In this case, it is a highly appreciated solution for customers who are not yet ready to invest in a completely new sand washer but still want to achieve significantly improved performance.
Staff at Lidköping WWTP report that other wastewater treatment plants have contacted them to learn more about how the retrofit kit performs.
– They are curious about how extensive the modification is and how well it works. I can recommend it in every respect, he concludes.