Cologne Sewage Sludge Treatment Plant

The new Cologne sewage sludge treatment plant represents a significant investment in Germany’s transition toward thermal sewage sludge recovery, advanced emissions control and mandatory phosphorus recycling ahead of the country’s 2029 regulatory deadline.

Germany’s amended Sewage Sludge Ordinance requires phosphorus recovery from applicable sewage sludge containing at least 20 grams of phosphorus per kilogram of dry matter, with recovery becoming mandatory from 2029 for affected facilities. Recovery may occur directly from sludge or from ash following mono-incineration.

Doosan Lentjes, a specialist in environmental technologies, has been awarded two lots for the new sewage sludge treatment plant in Cologne. The company has been commissioned to provide engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of the key process components – bubbling bed furnace, steam generation, sludge conveyance and drying – as well as the complete flue gas cleaning system.

Efficient and safe sewage sludge recovery

In the future, the new plant owned by KLAR GmbH will thermally treat municipal sewage sludge from Cologne and the surrounding region in a safe, efficient and legally compliant manner. Furthermore, the relevant regulations on limiting odour emissions will be reliably met, and the generated ash will provide the basis for phosphorus recovery.

At the heart of the plant is a bubbling bed furnace, which ensures highly efficient thermal recovery of the dewatered sewage sludge thanks to its excellent mass and heat transfer. An innovative concept for heat recovery and electricity generation ensures largely self-sufficient plant operation. 

Multi-stage flue gas cleaning for the most stringent requirements

In order to meet strict emission requirements, Doosan Lentjes is supplying a multi-stage flue gas cleaning system that reliably removes dust, acid gases, heavy metals and organic pollutants from the flue gas. The system comprises an electrostatic precipitator for the separation of fly ash, a Circoclean® reactor, which removes acidic pollutants and heavy metals using hydrated lime and hearth furnace coke, followed by a fabric filter for the removal of residues. A downstream, two-stage wet flue gas cleaning system with an acidic quench stage and an alkaline scrubber stage further reduces the remaining pollutant levels in the flue gas. The wastewater-free system with continuous emission monitoring meets the highest environmental and emission standards.

Combined technological expertise

“We are delighted to be able to apply our in-house technological expertise in fluidised bed combustion and flue gas cleaning to the Cologne project,” says Philipp Stolzenburg, Director Sales & Proposals at Doosan Lentjes. “We are thus offering our customer an integrated, single-source solution for sewage sludge treatment that guarantees long-term disposal security and compliance with legal requirements. At the same time, the plant makes an important contribution to environmental and resource protection.”

Expansion of the mono sewage sludge treatment product line

With the successful contract in Cologne, Doosan Lentjes is now once again applying its expertise in the thermal treatment of sewage sludge in Germany. Against the background of stricter legal requirements, this market is of great importance. This is particularly true in view of the mandatory recovery of phosphorus from sewage sludge in Germany from 2029 onwards, as well as the resulting increasing demand for thermal treatment plants for sewage sludge. The Cologne contract is therefore an important milestone for Doosan Lentjes’ business activities in its home market.

Doosan Lentjes, based in Ratingen, Germany, specialises in environmental technologies for efficient resource utilisation and offers tailor-made solutions for the thermal treatment of waste and sewage sludge.

Learn More:

• Waste-to-Energy & Solid Waste Recycling Technologies
• Waste & Resource Recovery Feasibility Studies
• Plant Design & Engineering Services
• Turn-Key Waste & Energy Project Development
• Project Evaluation

Turn Sewage Sludge Into Energy & Recoverable Resources

Changing environmental regulations are transforming sewage sludge from a disposal challenge into an increasingly important resource-recovery opportunity. Modern thermal treatment systems can provide secure sludge management while recovering energy and concentrating valuable phosphorus into ash for subsequent recycling.

Klean Industries works with municipalities, wastewater utilities, infrastructure developers and industrial partners to evaluate thermal waste treatment, sludge drying, energy recovery, emissions control and integrated resource-recovery projects.

Before committing capital, determine the optimum feedstock characteristics, moisture content, drying requirements, thermal process, energy balance, emissions-control configuration, phosphorus-recovery pathway, CAPEX, OPEX and long-term operating economics.

Contact Klean Industries to evaluate your sewage sludge, wastewater or resource-recovery project » GO.