VBTM provided process engineering services to optimise and improve the efficiency of a large wastewater sludge processing centre in the north west of England. The facility, which processes 65,000 tonnes dry solids of digested sewage per annum, comprises mechanical dewatering and sludge incineration plant, gas cleaning system, packaged demineralization plant and steam turbine for the generation of electricity.

Following completion of construction and commissioning, VBTM helped the client to increase the performance and operating efficiency of the facility. The improvements included the production of higher quality sludge, thereby increasing the amount suitable for application to land, and an increase in the output of the steam turbine to up to 4 MW (the design capacity), hence generating more electricity for delivery back to the national grid.