Institute for Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality and Solid Waste ...

Chair of Waste Management and Emissions
This modular, decentralised system is especially suitable
for the application in sensitive areas, e.g. tourism
regions, corral reefs, islands, coasts, nature parks,
etc.. The demonstration project MODULAARE should
assess whether this modular concept can be operated
economically and routinely. Therefore the tests in the
practical use and the integration into the processes
within the tourists resort are of special interest.
Innovative Character:
The innovative character of the MODULAARE concept
can be outlined by the following key points:
• Combination of waste recycling + wastewater
treatment + energy concept
• Modular units can be adapted to extensions of the
hotel
• Decentralised use is possible (bays, little villages
without regular wastewater treatment and waste
disposal)
• Development of a sustainable, recycling management
resulting in an nearly waste- and wastewater-free
tourists resort.
• By modifying the solid content and switching on/
off individual membrane modules the membrane
facility can be adapted very easily to seasonal
fluctuations (guest numbers)
• Advanced development to self-sufficient systems
(e.g. by including other regenerative energy sources)
• Membrane and sanitation stage (fermentation)
enable short cycles (no germs, exciter, etc.)
• Altogether, the membrane system will demand low
attention during operation because the settling of
the activated sludge plays a role no more
• Difficulties with wastewater in fermentation facilities
are solved by means of the membrane facility
• Excess sludge problems are solved by fermentation
system
Advantages:
MODULAARE promotes substantially the sustainable
management of both the hotel system and the environment.
The largest advantage which can be expected
is the use of the benefits (high-efficient cleaning, recycling
of waste, regenerative energy) of both systems.
Simultaneous the problems determined by the system
(power requirement of the membrane, excess sludge,
fermentation wastewater) will be neutralised. Further
advantages are:
• Avoidance of pollution of high-sensitive ecological
systems (e.g. corral reefs, mud flats, etc.) by insufficiently
treated wastewater
• Discharge to dumps which often indicate insufficient
standards in tourism regions (methane pro-
duction leachate, setting, hygiene aspects) will be
minimised
• Regenerative energy can be used to save fossil
sources of energy
• The modular system makes extensions simple and
economically possible (construction, integration
into existing modules etc.)
• Direct water utilisation as process water or for irrigation
(substitution of drinking water and water
for domestic use)
• Depending upon the respective local situation, fermentation
residues can be used directly in agriculture
or be made applicable in hotel gardens by
drainage and maturing to compost
• Water retention capacity of soils and content of
humic substances will be increased by application
of compost
• Preservation of resources (water, artificial fertiliser,
etc.)
• Production of valuable soil-conditioner; saving of
artificial fertiliser (costs), compost contributes to
improve humus generation and to increase CO 2
fixation
in the soils (Kyoto Protocol)
• No problems with organically highly loaded fermentation
residues
• Enrichment of ground-water by spray irrigation of
green belts and infiltration of the purified waste
• Reduction of environmental pollution as chlorinated
water will not be utilised any more
• Cost saving within the area of water supply and
wastewater disposal
Description of the demonstration plant:
The demonstration plant, located in Iberotel Sarigerme
Park (Sarigerme, Turkey), consists of the waste
water treatment module (container on the right) and
the biogas module. This article describes the anaerobic
digestion module.
In this module, organic waste and sludge from the
membrane wastewater purification are digested under
anaerobic conditions, while producing biogas and anaerobic
digestion residues. The digestate can be used
as an organic fertilizer if tested suitable.
The biogas module comprises the following technical
components:
• Delivery storage tank
• Digester
• Gas storage
• Gas flare
• Storage tank for the fermentation output
• Digester input
• Digester Output
• Fermentation residues
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