Wednesday, 05 June 2013 16:17

Southern Water adds heat exchanger for poo-power

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Southern Water has installed a new heat exchanger to help harness poo power at its Budds Farm Wastewater Treatment Works in Havant.

The unit has been added to the site’s Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant which captures bio-gas created during the treatment process. This gas, which would otherwise have been burnt off in a flare, is used to produce renewable energy with any surplus exported to the National Grid.

The heat exchanger recovers heat from the engine and exhaust systems using water which is then used to warm the treatment tanks, helping speed up the bacterial digestion of the waste.

“This new heat exchanger means we are able to recover even more energy from the wastewater treatment process," Morné Cloete, Southern Water project manager.

“I’m sure people in the Portsmouth area will be delighted that they are helping us minimise the environmental impact of our business, dealing with their business – by generating electricity with poo power.

“CHP plants help us reduce our carbon footprint while also cutting our energy costs and are just one of the innovative ways Southern Water is helping protect the communities and environment in which we work.”

Budds Farm treats flows of around 2,400 litres a second from almost 400,000 people in and around Portsmouth, including Waterlooville, Havant and Hayling Island.

Southern Water recently announced an investment of more than £1 million in a CHP plant to capture bio-gas at its at Bexhill and Hastings Wastewater Treatment Works. The site is capable of generating 5.1 Gwh of electricity.

As well as generating electricity, the CHP plant also recovers heat from the engine and exhaust systems via water from heat exchangers. This water is then used to warm the treatment tanks to speed up the bacterial digestion.

The projects are part of the company’s multi-million pound investment in carbon mitigation and energy efficiency schemes between 2010 and 2015.

These are to help Southern Water reduce its carbon emissions and contribute to its target of generating 20% of its energy usage from renewable sources by 2020. The company currently has the capacity to generate 15% of its energy from renewable sources.

Southern Water already harnesses poo power at 13 of its wastewater treatment works through the use of CHP plants.

The installation at Bexhill and Hastings WTW was carried out by Southern Water supplier Cogenco.

(Image from Southern Water)

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