In the world of wastewater sludge treatment, anaerobic digestion has been used widely since the early 1900s. Even today, it remains the single most widely used sludge treatment method throughout the world. Wondering why? It’s incredibly powerful. Overall, it can convert up to 60% of the organic solids to methane and carbon dioxide, and the residual organic matter is fully stable, not to mention odorless and almost pathogen free. All of this comes at quite a price, though. Treating and pumping wastewater ranks almost at the top of energy needs for cities across the U.S. In fact, the California Energy Commission has said that 56% of the energy used by most cities in the state is spent on water and wastewater treatment facilities. With the right equipment on hand, substantial savings could be achieved by most municipalities. What is that right equipment, though? What must it do to become more energy efficient? Let’s take a quick look.

Toward Better Efficiency

To ensure that a unit is doing all it can, there are a number of criteria it must meet. It should

• Produce a High Thermal Efficiency
• Includea Compact Design to Ensure It Doesn’t Take Up Too Much Plant Space
• Exhibit a Low Fouling Tendency to Help Lower Maintenance Costs
• Be economical in terms of operation costs

The Komax Klean-Wall Heat Exchanger

If your city is searching for a heat exchanger that meets those essentials, don’t look any further than our Klean-Wall Heat Exchanger. The single most efficient choice on the market today, it offers a 300% increase over other standards, including slurry heaters and shell and tube exchangers. Installation takes place in a circulation loop for large digester heaters, which helps to ensure a shorter retention time. Perhaps the best benefit, though, is that it can pass debris of up to 50% of the pipe without clogging.

Ready to learn more about how Komax can help you control your municipal energy costs? Contact us today.