Biothane Will Supply its First Anaerobic Treatment Plant in Czech Republic Together with Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies  

In partnership with the local Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies (VWS) subsidiary VWS MEMSEP, Biothane (The Netherlands) will supply anaerobic wastewater treatment to the long-established Czech brewery Svijany. The combined anaerobic and aerobic project includes Biothane’s Biobed EGSB (Expanded Granular Sludge Bed) technology and an upgrade of the existing aerobic treatment. Commissioning will start shortly as the start-up of the installation will be in summer 2010.

Svijany Brewery, located approximately 80km outside Prague, appointed VWS MEMSEP as the main contractor for the treatment of the site’s wastewater. Due to the extension of the brewery´s production capacity, a revised wastewater treatment has become necessary. Biothane’s scope in this project is the wastewater’s anaerobic treatment, with a 900m3 maximum daily capacity. The anaerobic part of the process will remove more than 70% of the organic pollutants present in wastewater. Considering potential expansion of the production in the future, the layout of the treatment plant leaves the option for a second anaerobic reactor. The utilization of the produced biogas from the anaerobic process is another advantage. The brewery will indeed use the biogas in a CHP (Combined Heat and Power) unit to heat up the wastewater for anaerobic treatment. At the same time, the CHP unit will produce electricity that will minimize the plant’s impact on the environment. “The combined strength of the two VWS subsidiaries has made the project especially attractive for the client. It is a first step for Biothane to introduce its technologies to the Czech market.” says Erik Draber, Biothane´s area manager of the project.