Environmentally friendly concept for ultrapure water and waste wastewater

Comprehensive solution

The Avancis GmbH & Co. KG, the technologically leading producer of thin-film photovoltaic modules, entrusted the Stuttgart-based H+E GmbH group with the task of producing ultrapure water and removing potentially toxic substances from its wastewater. The modules are manufactured in Torgau, Saxony, using CIGS technology (copper – indium – gallium – selenide).
H+E’s comprehensive solution, also referred to as “Total Water Management”, consists of two parts. Part 1, the process water supply, provides the ultrapure water required for the high-quality photovoltaic modules in the appropriate quality and quantity. Part 2 treats the wastewater generated during production to at least the required quality before it is discharged into the public wastewater network. The main stream is contaminated with potentially toxic substances such as cadmium. These are not supposed to end up in the environment. Therefore, all wastewater partial streams are purified in the wastewater treatment process to such an extent that they permanently fall well below the legal requirements.

Applied process combination

The ultrapure water system consists of a ROCEDIS^®, a semi-circle and a UV system. The wastewater treatment plant is designed as a partial flow treatment. Highly polluted wastewater is treated in batch by adding organosulfide. This offers maximum treatment safety. The rinse water is first freed from thiourea and then from cadmium by means of an ion exchange process. All partial streams are then neutralised.

Facts & Figures

• User-friendly, automated operation
• Easy to maintain
• Toxic load consistently below limit values
• Environmentally friendly