Germany 2010

Waste water treatment that sets new standards

A change in legislation made this waste water treatment plant necessary – with a peak capacity of 800 cubic metres per hour.

Ruhr Oel GmbH is a joint venture between the British company BP and the Russian company Rosneft. At the Gelsenkirchen-Horst site, it operates a modern refinery that produces various fuels. The processing capacity is around twelve million tons of crude oil per year. Previously, Ruhr Oel de-oiled the waste water on site and then fed it through the Emschergenossenschaft to the central municipal sewage treatment plant in Bottrop. The Horst refinery did not have its own waste water treatment plant. On the basis of a decree issued by the Münster Regional Council, BP was requested to treat waste water on site. H+E’s sound treatment concept and the degradation tests in its own laboratory convinced BP to award the contract to the globally active group of companies.

Our solution for Ruhr Oel

Since H+E had already implemented numerous waste water treatment plants for the petrochemical industry, we could offer the company a process that guarantees maximum safety and reliable operation of the waste water treatment plant. The new plant is designed for a maximum hydraulic load of 800 cubic metres per hour. Particular attention was paid to their usability in line with requirements and to maximum efficiencies in the treatment of waste water.

Process combination used

The plant consists of six different purification stages: two mechanical ones with raking and de-oiling, two physical-chemical ones with flocculation and flotation, as well as nitrification and denitrification as biochemical purification stages. Two lines work in parallel to ensure that the system can be operated flexibly and reliably. In order to prevent the formation of explosive gas mixtures, the de-oiling tanks are equipped with nitrogen blanketing. The exhaust air is treated in a regenerative thermal combustion plant.

Facts & Figures

  • Maximum safety and reliable operation
  • Output of up to 800 cubic metres per hour
  • 6 different cleaning stages
  • 2 parallel working lines
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