Huge expansions for Europe's biggest sewage plant

London -- Western Europe's largest wastewater treatment plant, the new Brussels-North sewage plant serving over a million people in Belgium, is due to go ‘on-stream’ in March 2007 partly with the help of seven giant expansion joints.

The 2.7m by 2.5m expansion joints are fitted in concrete ducts handling the airflow of 10m/sec at 140°C and 1.2bar needed for biological treatment of sewage. The units were custom-made by UK based James Walker Townson (JWT) from 9.5mm thick EPDM rubber reinforced with three layers of aramid fibre.

JWT’s remit covered the principal design and supply of the frames and compensators and the construction of the stainless steel frames for all seven joints. James Walker Benelux NV was responsible for the gaskets.

The expansion joints were tested by JWT and witnessed by Lloyds in order to comply with the Pressure Equipment Directive Category 2 to ensure safety at the required pressure and airflow. The company also applied finite element analysis to ensure frame design integrity at the working conditions stated