Uisce Éireann has announced it will be expanding the production of sustainable biogas at its Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Dublin, with the introduction of Ephyra®, from Royal HaskoningDHV. This innovative digestion technology will also significantly boost Dublin’s sludge treatment capacity without the need for any major expansion in the current sludge treatment facilities.
Increasing capacity of existing digesters
Ringsend WWTP is currently undergoing a major upgrade, based on the application of proven Nereda® technology, the wastewater treatment technology from Royal HaskoningDHV that treats wastewater using the unique features of aerobic granular biomass. The overall project will deliver, on a phased basis, the capacity to treat the wastewater for a population equivalent of 2.4 million, while achieving the standards of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. To accommodate this significant increase, the existing sludge line needs to be expanded and upgraded, within an already very congested site, with limited additional building footprint available. While the current thermal hydrolysis plant will be upgraded, the digesters and other ancillary sludge treatment works will be modified. When the existing digesters are retrofitted using the Ephyra technology, their capacity will be increased without having to build new digestion tanks, making significant cost savings and producing sustainable energy in the form of biogas.
Jean Hobbs Senior Programme Manager with Uisce Éireann says, “With 40% of all Irish wastewater treated in this facility, we need to increase capacity while protecting the environment and not compromising on performance. There are many complexities and challenges in delivering a project of this scale, not least the necessity to maintain the normal operation of the plant throughout the upgrade works. A robust sludge treatment is part of this performance. We welcome this further development in the delivery of this essential project for Uisce Éireann, which will further improve resilience in the Greater Dublin Area for years to come.
“Ringsend has been treating Dublin’s wastewater for over a century and is Ireland’s largest wastewater treatment plant. We are making very good progress thanks to the co-operation and support of our project teams, contractors and local authority partners. And we are confident that we are on track to deliver this key piece of infrastructure on time and on budget for the benefit of all the people living in the Greater Dublin Area.”
Royal HaskoningDHV has been working on this major venture, since 2014, in a highly collaborative consortium (3JV) with its Irish partners, J. B. Barry and Partners, and TJ O’Connor & Associates.
Martin Hogan from 3JV says, “Uisce Éireann has a clear ambition to be more sustainable and 3JV has worked to proactively identify solutions across this upgrade that deliver enhanced capacity and social, environmental and economic benefits to our client and its stakeholders. As Irish partners both J.B. Barry and Partners and T.J. O’Connor & Associates pride themselves on delivering innovation locally to this project with our international partner Royal HaskoningDHV.”
Danny Traksel, Business Development Director Ephyra from Royal HaskoningDHV says, “Ephyra’s easy-to-retrofit approach makes it the perfect solution for the upgrade and modification of the sludge line capacity at Ringsend WWTP. Its compact footprint, cost savings and sustainable credentials really embody our organisation’s quest to contribute to a better society.”
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