EU pilot plant to test new process technology

Callaghan Engineering is delighted to announce that we have won a significant process design project with the European Union. The challenge is to design a pilot plant which will use Supercritical Aqueous Reforming (SCAR) for the treatment of sewage sludge.

Currently, most liquid sewage sludge is dewatered before being treated using expensive and time consuming methods such as anaerobic digestion. This requires that the sludge be heated & held at a suitable temperature for up to 30 days in order to reduce the amount of organic matter and toxic micro-organisms present before the resulting material can be disposed of in a safe and effective manner without harming the environment.
By contrast, the process of using Supercritical Aqueous Reforming can reduce the organic components of the sludge in a very much shorter time frame. The by-products of this process include hydrocarbons & gasses which can be recovered and used to further increase the efficiency of the plant.

If successful, the resulting technology could enable significant energy savings in treatment plants throughout Europe. We look forward to reporting on a successful outcome in due course.