Energy-efficient and proven: Mixing and aeration system for aerobic treatment in the paper industry

Some industries are plagued by particularly high energy and water consumption and therefore aim to  reduce both sustainably. This is particularly true for the pulp and paper industry. Water treatment plays an essential role here, with INVENT Umwelt- und Verfahrenstechnik AG providing the best suited products.

An excellent example of the practical use of INVENT technology in paper wastewater can be found in the north of Germany, more precisely in Varel in the district of Friesland. The Papier- und Kartonfabrik Varel (paper mill), located on the outskirts of the small town, employs around 600 people on its site. It is not only a major regional employer but also one of the largest production sites in the German paper industry with a production capacity of around 925,000 tonnes.

The mill has a proud history stretching back 84 years. It mainly produces classic raw materials for the packaging industry and has been progressively modernized and expanded over the decades. As early as 1976, the company was one of the first paper mills in Germany to install a biological wastewater treatment plant. As part of the company’s growth, the plant was expanded to a two-step treatment plant in 1994.

The next expansions – in which INVENT technology came into action for the first time – took place from 2012 through 2014. HYPERCLASSIC^®-Mixing and Aeration Systems were installed in stainless steel cages for aerobic wastewater treatment. One advantage of this cage solution is that it can be removed for installation and maintenance and put back in place, even in a filled tank.

The HYPERCLASSIC^®-Mixing and Aeration System uniquely combines the characteristics of a mixer with those of an aerator, offering very flexible areas of operation and application. Firstly, it provides sufficient oxygen to the activated sludge during the aerobic process to break down the organic load. Secondly, the aeration tank is mixed homogeneously so that both the heavy activated sludge and small particles are kept in suspension.

Due to the energy-efficient operation, high quality and durability of the components the HYPERCLASSIC^®-Mixing and Aeration System has made a name for itself as the  industry standard in the aerobic treatment of paper wastewater in recent decades.

When the operators of the Papier-und Kartonfabrik Varel decided to invest 280 million euros in the production site in 2019, this also entailed a significant expansion of the wastewater treatment plant – and thus an order over another 13 of the trusted HYPERCLASSIC^®-Mixing and Aeration Systems with a cage from Erlangen, Germany.