LINAK contributes electric actuator technology to upgrade waste water treatment in Chicago

Photo by LINAK A/S

In collaboration with a number of Danish companies, LINAK will take part in a groundbreaking upgrade of a waste water treatment facility in the city of Chicago

A major upgrade of the Glenbard Wastewater Facility in the city of Chicago, USA, is about to commence, with several Danish companies – among them LINAK – contributing with knowledge and technology.

The project, initiated by the Water Technology Alliance (WTA) in Chicago, aims to lead a transformation in waste water management all over the USA, making handling excess water and waste water in more effective and sustainable ways.

LINAK contributes with world-class electric actuator technology allowing enhanced automation and control over valves.

“Naturally, I am thrilled LINAK is part of this rather prestigious project,” says Peter Vestergaard, Business Development Manager at LINAK.

“It is a great opportunity for us to show the world just how robust our solutions are”.

Several ways to minimise running costs
Being extremely durable and designed to work in outdoor environments, LINAK actuators perfectly support the efforts of AVK, the Danish producer of valves engaged to provide knife gate valves for the upgraded Chicago plant.

“Our actuators are tested and tried and have shown their worth in harsh environments many times,” says Vestergaard.

“Our setup has eliminated many of the usual weak spots, like hoses and pumps seen in other systems. LINAK solutions are able to deliver exact position feedback and are made very easy to integrate with overall control systems. In fact, our actuators are perfect for modern water handling”.

LINAK actuator solutions are already operating in flagship treatment plants in Denmark.

New ways of financing speeds up the process
Another rather unique aspect of the project is a financing model (ESCO). It frees the plant owner for providing funding up front and assures investors ROI from the savings in running costs after the upgrades.

The WTA project is expected to be complete in 2019. By then the Glenbard Wastewater Facility will serve as a demonstration of how innovative Danish technology can provide more effective and sustainable water treatment.

In Denmark, waste water treatment plants filter nitrogen and phosphorus, thereby leaving the water and the environment cleaner. Energy-efficiency is optimised so the most modern facilities produce 50% more energy, than it consumes. LINAK powered AVK valve solutions help achieve this by reducing operating power from 220V to 24V.

Facts:
The Glenbard Waste water Facility can handle up to 180 million litres of water daily. There are some 4,000 other water treatment facilities in the US alone requiring an upgrade within the coming years.

The Danish Trade Council and the Danish Ministry of Environment support the project, paying 10% of the development costs. The group of Danish technology leading companies also involved in the project are: Danfoss, Grundfos, AVK, Landia, Nissen Energiteknik and DHI Group.

For further information, please visit www.linak.com

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