More performance – Less effort
Bellmer TurboDrain TDC 5 optimizes sludge treatment at the wastewater treatment plant ARA Basel
The ARA Basel wastewater treatment plant, owned by ProRheno AG, is one of the largest wastewater treatment plants in Switzerland and treats around 30 million cubic meters of wastewater annually. As part of the comprehensive EABA expansion project—planned by HOLINGER engineers—the plant is being modernized to remove nitrogen and micropollutants even more effectively in the future. A key step in this process is that the sewage sludge will no longer be incinerated directly, but will now be used to generate energy via digestion towers before being dewatered. Bellmer is supplying three TurboDrain TDC 5 units for this purpose, which were commissioned in the third and fourth quarters of 2025.
Efficient thickening before digestion
Our TurboDrain thickens the sludge to 6% TR – conserving resources and optimizing efficient digestion. This significantly reduces the volume and increases the biogas yield.
The TurboDrain TDC impresses with its particularly low energy consumption, which is made possible by an efficiently designed drive system. Thanks to the optimized inlet and special belt technology, only a small amount of polymer is required. At the same time, the machine achieves maximum separation efficiency, ensuring stable and reliable process conditions. The TurboDrain TDC is designed to be particularly easy to clean and maintain, which further simplifies operation.
The successful project in Basel demonstrates once again that Bellmer Separation Technology stands for reliable, energy-efficient, and sustainable solutions in modern sludge treatment.
