A Central American country has been in a deep humanitarian and political crisis for years, characterised by corruption and instability. Several countries have set up military camps in the region to support the local population and restore order. A Ministry of Defence was planning to set up a new camp for 3,000 soldiers and needed a fast, reliable and mobile solution for wastewater treatment. The protection of the environment and the health of the soldiers were the primary concerns.
A former military camp in the region had not been treating wastewater properly, leading to severe groundwater contamination and a cholera outbreak. To avoid these failures, the mobile wastewater treatment plant had to fulfil strict specifications: The chemical oxygen demand (COD) had to be reduced to below 90 mg/l and the biological oxygen demand after five days (BOD5) to below 25 mg/l.
The difficult accessibility of the crisis area and the limited transport routes required a solution that was easy to transport. In addition, the installation and commissioning of the system had to be carried out by the customer, as civilians had no access to the military camp.
PPU Umwelttechnik GmbH supplied a mobile containerised wastewater treatment plant based on fixed-bed technology. The plant consisted of ten standardised 20-foot containers that could be transported worldwide by lorry or ship.
The wastewater first flows through a screw screen, which removes coarse impurities. It then flows into four aerated buffer tanks, which intercept the inflow peaks. The aeration ensures that no sludge settles and at the same time an initial biological degradation process takes place.
The actual wastewater treatment takes place in the fixed-bed reactors. Microorganisms that colonise the fixed-bed material reliably break down the pollutants by adding oxygen. If the biofilm becomes too thick, spent microorganisms sink to the bottom as secondary sludge.
In the next step, the wastewater flows into a lamella clarifier, which separates the sludge from the clear water by sedimentation. The resulting sludge, which has a dry matter content of 2 to 5 %, is dewatered using a sludge screw press. This increases the dry matter to 30 to 40 %, which reduces the volume of the sludge and enables less frequent removal.
The customer installed all components of the mobile wastewater treatment plant on site and commissioned the plant after receiving comprehensive training in Bayreuth. Thanks to this flexible and efficient solution, the Ministry of Defence was able to quickly ensure environmentally friendly wastewater treatment at the military camp and thus protect the health of the soldiers.
Yes, the mobile container sewage treatment plant based on fixed bed technology is flexibly adaptable and suitable for a wide range of applications. It can be individually tailored to the wastewater volume, pollutant load and local requirements of your project.
The standardized container solutions are quickly available and can be transported, installed and put into operation worldwide within a few weeks, depending on the location and scope of the project.
The operating staff receives comprehensive training before the system is delivered. On site or in our training center in Bayreuth, your employees will learn how to maintain and operate the system and, if desired, how to install it.
The mobile sewage treatment plant meets the highest standards for wastewater treatment. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) is reduced to below 90 mg/l and the biological oxygen demand (BOD5) to below 25 mg/l, which meets strict environmental requirements.
Yes, the container solution is specifically designed for transport by truck, ship or plane and can be easily installed even in remote areas.
The sewage sludge is dewatered using a sludge screw press, which reduces the volume. The dry matter content of 30 to 40% enables less frequent and more cost-effective removal.
Yes, the systems are robust and designed for long-term use. They can also be expanded, relocated or used temporarily as required.
