References and projects

Groundwater treatment plant for the purification of PFC and BTEX

On the site of the "Old Port", in the central northern part of the former. From 2003 to 2018, groundwater contamination with BTEX was detected during investigations carried out at Tempelhof Airport. This is due to the handling of aviation gasoline (tank systems and tank farms) during the operating period of the "Old Port", from 1923–1945. In addition, MKW, PAH, LCKW, and PFT (perfluorinated surfactants) were detected at lower concentrations. PFT per-fluorinated surfactants (also PFC-perfluorinated compounds/chemicals) are available in concentrations of max. about 60 g/l contained in groundwater. The cause is the location of the renovation area "Old Port", downstream or by-stream of a former port. fire-fighting training grounds. PFCs have been used in extinguishing foams in fires of oil and fuel and are now largely banned.

Remediation of highly ferrous groundwater with volatile halogenated hydrocarbons (VHHs) contamination

As part of a contaminated site survey in 1993/94, groundwater damage caused by volatile halogenated hydrocarbons (VHHs) was detected on the site, which has been used industrially for over 100 years. The polluted groundwater continues to contain very high iron and salt concentrations. At the end of 2019, Harbauer GmbH was awarded the contract for the remediation of contaminated sites and for the construction of groundwater remediation plant. You can find out more about the removal of vinyl chloride and other (VHHs) by means of desorption columns and catalytic oxidation in the following reference.

Groundwater remediation of volatile halogenated hydrocarbons

The Schkopau site of DOW Olefinverbund GmbH has been a very intensively used area of the large-scale chemical industry for decades. Due to disruptions in production processes, leaks, accidents and transport losses, there were contamination of the environment up to the contamination of groundwater.

Chlorine gas and hall air extraction system due to aggressive hall air

Clarios Recycling GmbH is a manufacturer of accumulators and has its own recycling plant for the recovery of raw materials from batteries and accumulators. When lead-acid batteries are accepted and stored in the storage boxes, it happens that chlorine gas is produced. In addition, in the recycling process of batteries and accumulators, sulfuric acid comes out, as a result of which acidic vapors are formed. Installed sensors register the concentration of chlorine gas and if the limit value is exceeded, the staff has to leave the hall so far.

Thanks to the newly installed extraction system, the chlorine gas is now extracted quickly and effectively, so that it is no longer necessary to leave production Hall D. In addition, a significant improvement in the quality of the hall air is achieved with the extraction.

Construction and groundwater treatment during soil remediation

In order to prevent a polluted outflow, the operation of a hydraulic safety device is required during soil remediation by means of large-bore bores. In order to comply with the discharge values for the direct discharge into the groundwater (re-infiltration), a groundwater purification plant from Harbauer was built for this purpose. For this purpose, two 20 m - deep safety wells are operated north and south of the rehabilitation area.

Groundwater treatment plant for the remediation of chlorobenzene damage

At the site of the former Niederau regional camp, an intolerable groundwater damage has occurred as a result of an industrial pre-use lasting about 140 years.
As a result of the preliminary investigations, the group of chlorobenzenes could be detected as a conductive pollutant in terms of the amount of substance and the hazard potential.

Biological in-situ groundwater remediation

In order to control the implementation of a biological in-situ groundwater remediation on the site of the former glass factory in Achern, a modular remediation plant was manufactured in two insulated ISO sea containers. There are 5 production wells and 14 infiltration wells at the rehabilitation site.

The principle of biological in-situ remediation is based on the stimulation of pollutant-degrading microorganisms in the groundwater. For this purpose, groundwater is removed in the polluted area, nutrients are added and the area re-infiltrated. With the help of frequency-controlled well pumps and magnetic-inductive flow meters, the individual delivery rates between 0.5 and 3 m3/h are automatically regulated. The maximum total conveying rate of the remediation plant is up to 15 m3/h.

Treatment of benzene and hydrogen sulfide contaminated exhaust air

Very strong-smelling exhaust air contaminated with benzene and hydrogen sulfide is sucked out of a sewage shaft on the site of the power plant Schwarze Pumpe in Sachsen, Germany and is then purified via an activated carbon filter stage.

The concept of exhaust air purification provides that the air is purified in a two-stage filter system, consisting of working and police filters to concentrations below the permissible limits below the german regulatory “Technische Anleitung zu Luftreinhaltung (TA-Luft).

Remediation of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons

A site of a chemical plant in the "Old Country" a region in the east of Germany has been a very intensively used area of the chemical industry for decades. Due to disruptions in production processes, leaks, accidents and transport losses, contamination of the environment up to the contamination of groundwater occurred. Chlorinated hydrocarbons play an essential role here. The high iron concentrations in the groundwater make it difficult to treat the water at the site.

Groundwater treatment plant for the purification of pesticides in a drinking water protection area

Since 2000, the pesticides mecoprop and dichlorprop have been detected in groundwater in the area of the Brunnengalerie Ost at the site of the Wuhlheide waterworks. A groundwater treatment plant was built and put into operation in 2002 to avert danger. Due to the construction of new defensive wells (Mec 1-3) and the resulting changed hydraulic conditions as well as the increased pollutant concentrations, Harbauer GmbH received the order for the construction of a new groundwater treatment plant at the end of 2017.

In order to protect the incoming flood, contaminated groundwater must be pumped out of three wells and treated on site in the groundwater treatment plant.

Process water and rainwater treatment plant in modular container design for removal of heavy metal

Contaminated rainwater and process water is produced on the site of a soil cleaning plant. This is primarily contaminated by dissolved heavy metals, as well as various hydrocarbons (HCs), adsorbable organically bound halogens (AOXs), aromatic hydrocarbons (BTEX -benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) and volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHC/VOC ).

To clean the groundwater, Harbauer has designed and built a cleaning system in modular container design, in which different cleaning stages for the treatment of the pollutant mixture were combined.

Exhaust air purification system against high hydrogen sulfide values

Three sand traps are operated at the Schönerlinde sewage treatment plant. In the area of these sand traps, exceedances of the permissible hydrogen sulfide concentrations were detected. The emissions are to be captured by an on-site cover and the hydrogen sulfide is to be removed from the exhaust air stream with the exhaust air purification system. The task of the exhaust air purification system is to extract the gas space from the sand trap and clean the contaminated exhaust air. The purified exhaust air is then released to the environment.

Hydraulic rehabilitation of an outflow vane

In the area of the premises of BASF Coatings Oldenburg GmbH, contamination of groundwater with VHH (volatile halogenated hydrocarbons), in particular tri-and tetrachloroethene, has been detected, which is being rehabilitated by a hydraulic measure on the premises. During further investigations, it was found that the groundwater contamination had spread to such an extent that it was not covered by this measure. According to the risk assessment carried out, measures are required to secure the outflow vane with a total of 2 delivery wells.

Groundwater purification of VOCs

Groundwater contamination by LCKWs exists at the "Alte Königsheide Süd" site in Berlin-Treptow. A GWR was built in the 1990s to prevent the spread of the pollutant plume to the wells of the Johannisthal drinking water plant located in the downstream area. Since then, a well-defence gallery has been operated.

Two desorption columns are used to eliminate pollutants.

Groundwater purification of VHHs

The Schkopau site of DOW Olefinverbund GmbH has been a very intensively used area of the large-scale chemical industry for decades. As a result of the use of the production facilities, leaks, accidents and transport losses, contamination of the environment and, last but not least, contamination of groundwater with components of the production process occurred. Chlorinated and aromatic hydrocarbons play an important role in this process. As a result of a tender, the company Harbauer GmbH was commissioned with the construction and operation of a groundwater purification plant.

Neutralization plant for the neutralization of the Scheibesee

In this project, Lake Scheibesee, a renatured open-cast mine, which is acidified by accompanying materials from open-cast lignite mining (pH value of about 2.7), was rehabilitated.

The project was carried out in a project group, GMB mbH was the coordinating part, IWSÖ, an institute of BTU, took over the sea monitoring and the evaluation of the data, Harbauer GmbH designed, built, and operated the plant.

Groundwater treatment plant for CFC contaminated groundwater

At the Ostendstraße site in Berlin Köpenick, CFC (chlorofluorocarbons) damage was detected in groundwater in 2005, which has been hydraulically rehabilitated by the Harbauer GmbH groundwater purification plant since 2013. The measure serves to protect the transfer path to the Wuhlheide water treatment plants.

The raised water's CFC contaminations are removed using a three-stage desorption unit, and the resulting process exhaust air is burned in a catalytic oxidation plant to produce water, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen halides. The process air for stripping is circulated so that no exhaust air is produced.

Construction of 5 exhaust air purification plants

In the course of years of industrial use, a complex contamination of the soil and groundwater has occurred at the Schwarze Pumpe site. This damage is being repaired on site via a groundwater treatment plant (GWRA). During the operation of this GWRA, benzene-and hydrogen sulfide-containing exhaust air is produced.

In order to ensure compliance with legal environmental and occupational health and safety requirements, Harbauer GmbH was commissioned with the cleaning of the exhaust air containing pollutants.

Groundwater treatment plant for the purification of BTEX and PAH

At the water treatment plant at the gas plant in Luxembourg, an oil-containing drilling emulsion was extracted, which was then cleaned.

Chemical washing for the purification of ammoniac-containing exhaust air

For the emptying of a large ammonia storage tank (about 5,000 m3), a chemical wash with 20% sulfuric acid was designed and implemented for the purification of ammonia-containing exhaust air.

During the chemical washing, the ammonia-containing exhaust air was brought into contact with the washing liquid (sulfuric acid) in countercurrent in a PE column, and the ammonia was subsequently dissolved from the exhaust air to form an ammonium salt in the washing liquid.

Groundwater treatment plant for the purification of MKW and PAH

Due to the decades of use of the former military airfield Großenhain, extensive soil and groundwater contamination occurred in the area of the KS 6 tank farm on a total area of 20,500 m2 and an affected volume of about 74,000 m3 by MKW, BTEX, and other nuclear power plants as well as by PAK.

The rehabilitation area is crossed by parallel ditches, which are alternately used as extraction and infiltration ditches.

Groundwater purification of MKW, BTEX, PAH, and phenols

Among the plots Kanalstr. 43-51 in Berlin-Neukölln, there is soil and groundwater contamination with BTEX, LHKW, PAK, MKW, and PCB. A groundwater protection measure is being carried out at the site to protect the adjacent Teltow Canal. The pollutants are in the wells at concentrations of up to 350 mg/l MKW, 60 mg/l BTEX, 180 mg/l LHKW, and 100 mg/l PAK.

Groundwater is lifted from four wells and cleaned via a groundwater treatment plant.

Construction water treatment plant for the removal of suspended solids and oil

At the Stockholm location, Harbauer GmbH has built and operated a plant for the treatment of construction water from a tunnel construction project.

The aim of the plant was to remove suspended solids and the oil phase from the wastewater. For this purpose, the water was passed over a 75 m3 sedimentation tank in the first process step according to a distributor template. This served to separate the floating oil phase as well as remove suspended solids.This was followed in the second process step by a further sedimentation tank for sedimentation of the remaining suspended solids.

Groundwater treatment plant for the removal of VOC, VC and BTEX

Decades of laundry operation on Kiefholzstr./Krüllstr. in Berlin-Treptow/Köpenick resulted primarily in LCCW contamination in the soil and groundwater.
For cleaning the groundwater, Harbauer has built a groundwater purification plant at this location for a short time.

The contaminated water was conveyed to the plant via a regulated well pump and the flow was recorded with an inductive flow meter.

The first process stage consisted of two desorption columns connected in series, which converted LHC pollutants into the gas phase by the countercurrent principle. The column sumps served as a template for the pressure increase stages.

Groundwater treatment plant for the purification of chromium, PFT, PFOA

The groundwater remediation plant at Hennekamp in Düsseldorf was built in 2009 to protect against chromium contamination. The main stress component is chromium (VI) from electroplating contamination. The chromium contamination was accompanied by a PFT load (per fluorinated surfactants) including PFOA.

The plant works with the following stages of treatment:

• GW-pumping over 3 wells
• Reduction stage (reduction of chromium (VI) to chromium (III) with sodium dithionite)
• Gravel filter stage
• Absorption stage for chromium removal
• Water activated carbon stage for PFT and PFOA removal

Groundwater treatment plant for the removal of benzene

At the Terneutzen site, the exhaust air from its own wastewater treatment is treated for the chemical company DOW. Concentrations of up to 400 mg/L of benzene are transferred from the wastewater to the exhaust air. The exhaust air purification system, a catalytic oxidation system, consists of:

• The reactor for receiving the catalyst
• Air-to-air Heat Exchanger
• Blower for raw air
• Desulfurization unit
• LEL Monitoring

Remediation of chloraniline damage by means of Pump & Treat

Between 1870 and 1990, the site at Hauptstraße 9-10 in 10317 Berlin was used, among other things, for paint and varnish production. The soil today is contaminated with a mixture of chloranilines, chlorobenzenes, and chloronitrobenzenes, typical for such farms.

A pump-and-treat measure was implemented for the renovation.
By pumping out contaminated water in the outflow, an additional groundwater sink is created, which ensures that further contaminated water flows in.

Biological groundwater purification of alkylphenols

As a result of many years of commercial use of large areas of a former industrial estate. paint resin factory as well as partial surfaces of the former. Before 1990, considerable deposits of aromatics (BTEX and alkylbenzenes), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and, above all, phenols (alkylphenols) entered the subsoil at the site of the diesel engine plant in Schönebeck (Elbe). The concentrations of both phenols are up to 120 mg/l and for BTEX, up to 10 mg/l.

The contaminated water is removed from three drains, then fed to the plant where it is cleaned and infiltrated into the subsoil via another horizontal drainage. This creates an underground flushing field in order to remove further pollutants from the soil matrix and clean them in the system.

Groundwater treatment plant for the removal of phenazone, BTEX, H₂S

The renovation is carried out on the basis of the underground de-icing and pollutant elimination process (UES process). In addition to on-site cleaning, essential pollutant elimination takes place in-situ.

Groundwater treatment plant for the purification of VHH and benzene

Due to years of continuous use as a chemical industry site, a complex contamination of pollutants in groundwater developed at the Berlin Chemie site.

Harbauer has designed and built a plant for the remediation of pollutant contamination and has been operating it since 2004.

Upstream deironing, a multistage desorption plant with downstream biological treatment, arsenic removal, and a safety activated carbon stage for HCH adsorption are the plant's process stages.

Groundwater treatment plant for the removal of arsenic and cyanide

Harbauer GmbH has been operating a groundwater remediation plant at the Lacufa site since 2000, with a plant availability of 99%.

The main problems of contaminated groundwater are the very high arsenic and cyanide loads, accompanied by a strong suspended matter load.

For cleaning, 18 speed-controlled pumps first convey the contaminated groundwater into the groundwater treatment plant at a constant flow rate.
In the first process step, the water is sent via a corrugated plate separator in order to free the water from solids and suspended solids.

Desorption and exhaust gas catalysis of CHC and BTEX

As part of the groundwater remediation in the Spreeknie Technology and Start-up Center, CKW, CFC, and BTEX loads were cleaned.

Biological groundwater treatment of BTEX and PAH

On the site of today's Ernst-Thälmann-Park in the Prenzlauer Berg district lies one of the largest groundwater damage in Berlin. Because of the long-term use of the site as a gas plant and improper dismantling, the groundwater is very heavily contaminated with typical gas plant-specific pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), BTEX, and mineral oil hydrocarbons (MKW). In addition, there are loads containing ammonium and cyanides. On behalf of the Berlin Senate, Harbauer GmbH has been operating a groundwater purification plant at the site since 2004, which was supplemented in 2022 by an overgrown soil filter to remove ammonium.