This question was put out in 2009 and answered through a tendering process, at the end of which we got the green light for our concept. According to the customer’s statements, a whole series of points that worked in our favor were crucial for this decision: A good plant concept, impressive references from Bavaria and good examples from the nearby region that had been built previously. Components such as the ZPS pump, service boxes and conveyor belt technology, as well as the high-quality constructions and Anaergia Technologies pipeline installation. And last but not least: our office in Lippetal.

Construction of the first section began in the spring of 2010, and by end of 2010, the CHP was set up at the thermal baths and the whole plant commissioned. To begin with, this is how it looked: At the yard on Heppen‘s Kampstrasse, we built a fermenter with a volume of 2,280m³ (diameter 22m, height 6m) with an insulated concrete roof and two UTS service boxes with hydraulic mixer technology. Added to this was a fermentation product store with a volume of 4,850m³ (diameter 32m, height 6m) and an inflatable film cover. Between the fermenter and the fermentation product store, we created space for the pump technology (UTS ZPS DRP 4000 pump) with distributor, a gas analysis device and control system.

Other system components: a preliminary tank for slurry delivery, gas cooling with gas pressure increase for the microgas pipe and a woodchip heater (200kW) to heat the fermenter.

For us, this project is an excellent example of what can be achieved with good concepts and ideas in combination with powerful, high-quality technology. The original 550kW plant was expanded simply through the addition of a post-fermenter and targeted repowering to a total capacity of 1,020kW with virtually 100% heat consumption. And all this with comparatively low investment costs. By the way: since the overall plant started running in 2010, the biology has always worked perfectly, the containers have not yet been emptied and there has been no major damage.

The comment from Achim Sander is unsurprisingly positive: „We are extremely satisfied with the Anaergia Technologies technology in our plant. It offers us plenty of reserves and works with total reliability. The high performance of the new 3D mixer propeller in the hydraulic mixer system is especially pleasing. It saves a noticeable amount of energy when the substrate is being mixed in the fermenter.“

For us, the project showed what can be done and how energy can be utilized as best as possible from sustainable raw materials. In Rosenögger & Sander we had a customer who put a lot of trust in us, and who worked very well with us throughout every stage of the project. Ultimately, we are delighted that, together with the plant owners, we were able to pave the way for sustainable heating at the Bad Sassendorf thermal baths.

We hope that all of its visitors enjoy their „days by the sea”.