At the end of 2022, with the support of UNICEF, the Kharkiv water utility modernized WWTP No. 1 and WWTP No. 2. As part of the project, Esmil Group delivered, installed and launched 16 bar screens for the WWTP.
The reliable operation of equipment at the mechanical treatment stage has a huge impact on the overall operation of the wastewater treatment plant. The waste that manages to overcome the first stage of treatment – sewage screens – can cause damage at the subsequent stages of treatment: disable pumping equipment, cause problems at the biological treatment stage, etc.
After the massive missile attacks, the buildings of WWTP No. 1 and WWTP No. 2 of Kharkivvodokanal suffered significantly. Concrete fragments damaged existing mechanical screens, which led to a decrease in the efficiency of wastewater treatment. The total capacity of the treatment facilities is 1,050,000 m3/day, so their failure could have led to a major environmental and sanitary problem.
Thanks to the help of the global organization UNICEF, the old sewage screens damaged as a result of Russian aggression were replaced with modern equipment under the Esmil brand. Esmil screens are well known all over the world – for almost 30 years of its history, the company has implemented several thousand projects in 40 countries. Esmil bar screens have proven to be reliable and efficient equipment not only in Ukraine, but also in the EU countries, Israel, the United States of America and other.
Reasons why water utilities around the world choose Esmil bar screens:
- Resistance to mechanical and hydraulic overloads due to high tensile design in comparison with other types of mechanized screens;
- High hydraulic efficiency is achieved by using tear-shaped bar profiles that cause a pressure gradient to the mesh and across the bar spacing;
- The tear-shaped profile also protects the screen from waste jamming inside the filtering mesh. By using this design, such blockages can be removed by rakes allowing the screen to operate freely;
- High reliability is achieved by the absence of the rotating parts in the submerged part;
- Submersible parts like casing, bars, chains, and rakes are made of stainless steel to improve corrosion resistance in aggressive environments of wastewater;
- Improved ergonomics: easy maintenance of the screen due to accessibility of the main units in operation and screen lifting without remounting.
In the feedback, representatives of the operating organization note that due to replacing the damaged screens with Esmil bar screen RKE 1524 and RKE 1824, the amount of waste removed has increased almost 3 times. Bar spacing in the filtering mesh of the bar screens is 6 mm, which allows for the retention of small solid contaminants and better wastewater treatment. There is no need for frequent cleaning of sludge pumping units, pipelines, valves and grease traps.
The table below shows the positive treatment results after the screen replacement. The data for the period from 2020 to May 2023 confirm the improvement in waste removal from wastewater. The replacement of the equipment was completed in 2022, and the new equipment was put into operation in 2023.
Amount of waste retained by the screens in the period from 2020 to May 2023, m3
Esmil Group is proud to be able to help Ukraine and its people. It is a great honor for us to make an important project for our hometown. Especially in such difficult times, when the supply of clean and safe water is essential.
