WASTEWATER ENERGY TRANSFER™
Next generation thinking that uses proprietary, proven technology to transform sewage into renewable, sustainable, and reliable thermal energy to decarbonize commercial, residential and institutional buildings.
Today’s green technology [powering] tomorrow’s infrastructure
Imagine a city with buildings that produce no on-site GHG emissions; where dependence on fossil fuels was curtailed if not eliminated; where the ensuing economic, environmental and social benefits were shared by all. This is the kind of sustainable city that is made possible by disruptive innovation like Noventa’s WET™ systems that use HUBER ThermWin® technology to harvest the carbon-free thermal energy in wastewater to provide heating and cooling to buildings without Scope 1 GHG emissions.
For many building owners and managers, Noventa’s WET™ systems, offered as Energy-as-a-Service, with no up-front costs, can be the answer to a sustainable transition to the green economy.
Making a tangible difference
Reducing or eliminating on-site emissions by replacing natural gas combustion with benign thermal energy transfer from wastewater.
Increasing the reliability of building HVAC systems by introducing a parallel source of alternative thermal energy that does not depend on fossil fuels.
Reducing potable water usage by eliminating the need for cooling towers which waste this valuable resource through evaporation to the air.
How Wastewater Energy Transfer™ works
Wastewater energy is not new. Implemented in numerous locations over the years, it has been known by several monikers, including “sewer heat recovery”, “wastewater heat recovery”, and “sewer mining”. However, Noventa has coined and trademarked the name Wastewater Energy Transfer™ or WET™ to distinguish the many innovative features of our wastewater energy systems. Each Noventa WET™ system is designed to satisfy specific customer needs and to address the unique challenges inherent in each project.
Using proprietary methods and process improvements, we design and build WET™ systems that provide immediate economic and environmental benefits. HUBER’s RoK4® facilitates the removal of solids at sewer level while the self-cleaning HUBER RoWin® heat exchanger avoids the need to handle wastewater inside buildings. Purpose-built Trane heat pumps enable the seamless integration of our WET™ systems with building HVAC systems while our patented Feedwater Supplementary Thermal Exchange Method® and patent-pending Umbrella Bore System™ mitigate temperature risk and maximize thermal energy capacity of our WET™ systems.
How WET™ systems overcome the challenges of wastewater handling to serve buildings of all sizes
Handling wastewater is a challenging task. Exploiting its environmental potential is even more difficult. Wastewater solids can clog and damage pumps impeding its transport while biofouling can limit the energy transfer capacity of heat exchangers. The HUBER ThermWin® technology overcomes these challenges which hamper the performance of other wastewater energy systems.
The HUBER RoK4® screens solids at the bottom of a Wetwell making it easier to pump sieved brown water to the HUBER RoWin® heat exchangers. Pumps don’t have to work as hard and sewage handling is confined to the Wetwell rather than the customer’s building. The self-cleaning mechanism of the RoWin® then removes any biofouling from the tube bundles ensuring consistent energy transfer. Importantly, the HUBER ThermWin® technology allows us to access wastewater flowing in deep sanitary sewers which are close to the energy users.
Wetwell - Processing the sewage
The Wetwells are large, vertical, underground structures that facilitate access to the sanitary sewers. Typically, they house one or more the HUBER RoK4® Pumping Stations which are used to screen any solids flowing into the wetwell from the sewer. The sieved wastewater is then pumped to the HUBER RoWin® heat exchangers located in the Energy Transfer Station (ETS).
Underground Distribution Networks Transporting Wastewater Energy
Noventa’s WET™ projects are, in essence, community-scale district energy systems. They include underground distribution networks that transport thermally modified water and wastewater between the various WET™ system components. HDPE distribution pipes transport sieved brown water between the Energy Transfer Station and the Wetwell, while a separate set of distribution pipes transport hot water and chilled water to the customer. Controls and safety measures are implemented throughout the WET™ system to protect against SO2 and other undesirable conditions. At the same time, metering and monitoring equipment is installed to measure the flows and temperature of wastewater and thermal energy supplied to the customer.
The Energy Transfer Station - Turning waste into energy
The Energy Transfer Station (ETS) houses the shell-and-tube HUBER RoWin® heat exchanger(s) and Trane heat pumps, which accomplish the transfer of thermal energy to and from wastewater. The RoWin’s patented self-cleaning mechanism removes any biofouling on the tube bundles ensuring consistent energy transfer. The thermally modified water in the tube bundles flows into the heat pumps which provide the required lift to supply hot water or chilled water to the building HVAC system.
HUBER ThermWin® Technology
A leading company with over 150 years of experience in wastewater, HUBER’s ThermWin®technology is the key to unlocking the enormous energy potential hidden in our wastewater infrastructure systems.
Trane
Trane® is a world leader in HVAC systems, services and solutions. Trane provides innovative solutions that optimize indoor environments through a broad portfolio of energy-efficient HVAC systems. For Noventa’s WET™ systems, Trane provides customized equipment that facilitates the seamless integration with older, high-temperature HVAC systems resulting in greater economic and environmental benefits for all.
Case Study
The TWH WET™ system will use thermal energy from wastewater flowing in the Mid-Toronto Interceptor to supply up to 90 percent of the hospital’s heating and cooling needs. The wastewater energy will reduce Scope 1 GHG emissions at the site by about 8,400 metric tonnes per year. That's the equivalent of removing over 1,800 cars from the road.