Safety analysis of the anaerobic effluent treatment plant of the Regensburg sugar factory

Südzucker AG Mannheim/Ochsenfurt has subjected the anaerobic effluent treatment plant of its Regensburg factory to a safety analysis. In collaboration with the official technical inspection body of Bavaria and Saxony, this waste water purification plant was used as a case study to systematically register and evaluate the potential risks of such an installation. The analysis identified 171 dangerous points. The greatest potential risk was found in the water-carrying section of the plant where the danger of formation of an inflammable atmosphere caused by fermentation processes predominates. Thanks to the systematic approach and procedure adopted, the results of the analysis are applicable to other anaerobic effluent treatment plants. The analysis is already being applied in another three existing and two planned installations.