Field trip to the Fulda-Gläserzell wastewater treatment plant

As part of the "Environmental Technology" module, read by Dr Ramona Hülsmann, students from the Department of Food Technology at Fulda University of Applied Sciences visited the wastewater treatment plant in Gläserzell, which is the largest in the region with a population equivalent (PE) of 150,000. Plant manager Florian Schaub personally managed the various areas of the wastewater treatment plant, from the inlet structure to the transfer of the treated wastewater to the receiving watercourse, and explained the individual treatment steps very clearly. The students were given valuable insights into the practical side of wastewater treatment. The complexity of the processes and the efficient utilisation of resources, such as the generation of energy from sewage sludge digestion, were particularly impressive. An impressive 105% of the sewage treatment plant's own energy requirements can be covered by generating its own electricity. Another highlight was the presentation on deammonification as a special and very innovative technology for nitrogen degradation in the process water produced, which sets new standards for wastewater treatment plants.

We would like to thank Mr Schaub for his dedicated and informative management. The explanations not only gave us an understanding of the complex processes involved in wastewater treatment, but also emphasised the importance of a well-coordinated team, which is essential for the efficient and sustainable operation of the wastewater treatment plant.