Integration of new assets within an existing footprint improved by innovative digital delivery strategy

Minworth Sewage Treatment Works

Looking to reduce their carbon footprint and produce a higher quality biosolid, Severn Trent commissioned the installation of thermal hydrolysis process (THP) at its Minworth Sewage Treatment Works. The facility treats sludge—made up of indigenous and imported sludge from nearby treatment works—for a population of 2.3 million people.

The project included the addition of thermal hydrolysis, steam generation, and dewatering systems. Adding a three-unit Cambi B6 THP system within the existing digestion, combined heat and power (CHP), and liquor treatment plant meant integration had to be achieved with minimum disruption. Laser-scanning of assets, 3D models, flythroughs, 4D scheduling, integrated collaborative planning, and advanced virtual reality reviews helped to boost quality and efficiency of the design and construction process. Approximately 70% of the equipment and structures were manufactured and assembled off-site (DfMA) to improve construction disruptions and significantly shorten the program time frame.

Deployment of THP technology makes the treatment process at Severn Trent’s largest sewage treatment works more efficient—a 30% increase in waste to energy generation.