HRS Heat Exchangers
Demonstration of a new effluent-concentration system
This company will debut a trial version of its effluent-concentration system (photo), which enables plant operators to measure how much their effluent waste volumes can be reduced before committing to a full-sized system. By using evaporation to increase the dry matter content of digestate (typically from 2% to 10%), the concentration system reduces the volume of liquid digestate by around 80%, while at the same time increasing the nutrient content. This means up to 80% less digestate storage capacity and lessened transportation loads, helping to curb a plant’s operational costs and carbon footprint, while creating a richer biofertilizer, says the company. Furthermore, the water removed by the process is recovered and mixed with the plant’s feedstock, increasing the efficiency of the digester and reducing the amount of energy and water used by the plant. The system can also be used to concentrate other industrial effluent waste streams, such as leachate. Booth 3257 — HRS Heat Exchangers Ltd., Hertfordshire, U.K.