Roediger Vacuum GmbHKinzigheimerWeg 104-10663450 Hanau, GermanyPhone: +49 6181 309 - 274Telefax: +49 6181 309 - 277www.roevac.comexport@roevac.com

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RoeVac®Vacuum Sewer SystemsVacuum Technology

Innovative Technology for Collecting Wastewater

Above: RoeVac®Vacuum sewersystem in the rural communityof Nordstrand, Germany (approx.1000 PE).

Below: RoeVac®Vacuumsewer system for cottagesin a hotel resort, Malaysia(approx. 1,500 PE)

Cover: Palm Island Jumeirah,Dubai. Approx. 23.000 PEare connected to the RoeVac®system.

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Vacuum Sewer SystemsThe modern vacuum sewer system requires substan-tially smaller pipes than traditional sewers. Just smallslopes simplify the laying of sewers and allow shallowinstallation even in areas with a high groundwatertable. Since vacuum sewers are self-cleaning and needno water to flush the pipes, they are not only moreeconomic, but also superior to conventional systemsfrom an ecological perspective. Many developers world-wide entrust the task to the system supplier RoedigerVacuum.

International experience include prestige projects likethe Formula-1 racetrack in Shanghai, the waste waterdisposal system for the historic Old Town of Flavigny surOzerain in France, Durrat Al Bahrain, Palm IslandJumeirah in Dubai, the Olympic Sailing Centre in Athens,Greece or the community of Gerasdorf in Austria withitself already 3000 collection chambers.

The following pages describe advantages, applications,the functional principle and technical componentsas well as tradition and innovation for what RoedigerVacuum stands for as a world’s leading system supplier.

Conventional gravity sewer systems might causeproblems to mayors, project developers and propertyowners: high costs, slow progress of construction work,restricted traffic flow. Once the sewer is built, therecan occur odour, rodent, expensive maintenance andgroundwater infiltration. Designers and constructioncompany often have to deal with difficult subsoilconditions, dewatering of trenches, crossing lines,obstacles and static problems.

For this type of issues or other difficult projects vacuumsewerage is a future oriented and economic solutionthat offers numerous technical advantages. RoedigerVacuum technology has emerged decades ago as state-of-the-art and adequate alternative to the gravitysystem. As European, Asian and African market leader,Roediger Vacuum have installed more than 500 referen-ce systems during the last 40 years.

Vacuum Sewer Systems

Gravity Sewer Systems

Above: Scheme comparisongravity and vacuum sewersystem.

Below left: Complicated installa-tion – Gravity sewer trench withmanhole. Flooded trench andsheet piling.

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Below right: Fast and easyinstallation of a vacuum sewerin narrow trench with simplemachinery.

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Advantages and ApplicationsWhen considering the technical, ecological and financialaspects of wastewater collection, vacuum sewerage pro-vides an effective alternative to other options. The RoeVac®vacuum sewer system has proved to be a reliable methodfor collecting wastewater in separate systems sincedecades. In comparison to conventional gravity or pumpingsystems the RoeVac® vacuum system offers the followingimportant advantages to residents and operators:

> Considerable savings in construction costs> Much shorter construction period> Pipelines laid in shallow and narrow trenches> Small diameter pipelines (DN 80 – DN 200)> Flexible pipeline construction> Easy to lay pipelines around obstacles> Sewers and water mains can be laid in a common trench> Closed systems with no leakage or smell> No manholes along the vacuum sewers> One central vacuum station can replace many several

pumping stations

The Innovative Technology

The RoeVac® vacuum technology has been establishedover 40 years and is recommended by numerous indepen-dent institutions and organisations acknowledgedthroughout the industry. Today, hundreds of RoeVac®vacuum sewer systems have been installed successfullythroughout the world.

Compared to conventional methods of sewerage, vacuumtechnology provides major advantages in the followingcircumstances:

> The topography is flat and groundwater table is high> Sewer system is located near e.g. a lake or a coastline> Ground has an adverse gradient> Wastewater flows are highly variable e.g. holiday

establishments or local recreational facilities> Difficult ground conditions e.g. rock, peat, swamps etc.> Refurbishment of sewer systems> Rural area where buildings are not close to each other> Crossing rivers, streams, railway lines, major road etc.

Vacuum Technology

Below: RoeVac®G-typecollection chamber installedin front lawn of a villa

Above: Typical installation ofvacuum sewer in minimal depth.Pictorial schematic of thesystem, consisting of vacuumpipes (1), collection chambers (2)and central vacuum station (3).

Below centre: Cutaway of theRoeVac® collection chamber.The valve chamber is separatefrom the wastewater collectionsump (2).

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Below centre: Pre-assembled,compact vacuum station installedin a completed building (3).

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Below left: RoeVac® project inSouthern Africa, approx. 6000PE, vacuum pipes (1).

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Operation and ComponentsDepending upon the topography, wastewater is collectedwith a radius of many kilometres around the centralvacuum station.Wastewater flows through a conventionalgravity drain from each house to a RoeVac® collectionchamber installed outside the building.When a pre-deter-mined volume of wastewater is collected in the collectionchamber sump the hydrostatic pressure activates a pneu-matic controller. This controller opens a pneumatic vacuumvalve and the wastewater in the chamber is completelyevacuated into the vacuum sewer pipe. No electricityis required at the collection chamber with all operationsentirely pneumatic.

As air is admitted through upstream vacuum valvesthe wastewater flows at high velocity through the sewersystem to the central vacuum station. The RoeVac® systemguarantees maximum operational safety with minimumenergy costs. In some circumstances the vacuum sewerscan be laid using trenchless technology or be placedabove ground.

The Vacuum StationAll the vacuum sewers are connected to the vacuumcollection vessel installed at the central vacuum station,where vacuum pumps create the required negative pres-sure (approx. – 0.6 bar). The vacuum vessel can be placedinside or buried outside the vacuum station. Transferpumps convey the wastewater from the vessel to thewastewater treatment plant or to an existing sewer.

The capacity and dimensions of the vacuum station aredictated by the particular requirements of the sewersystem. Operation of the vacuum and transfer pumps iscontrolled through a PLC with the RoeVac® softwaredesigned to ensure optimum demand-driven operation.A standard “compact vacuum station” can be deliveredprefabricated and tested for small sewer systems to servicea small number of houses in villages or buildings on indus-trial estates. Individual design and construct services canbe provided for vacuum stations for hundreds or thousandsof houses and buildings.

The Collection ChambersThe water tight RoeVac® collection chamber is manufac-tured in PE-MD with three different designs available forthe following loading conditions:> Pedestrian loading> Flood-proof and pedestrian loading> Flood-proof and traffic loading up to 40 tIn all designs the vacuum valve unit is kept separate fromthe wastewater sump ensuring the RoeVac® vacuum valveunit remains clean, dry and accessible.

Additional advantages of RoeVac® chamber system are:> Easily adapted on site to suit the level of

house service drains and vacuum sewer pipes> No smell or deposits> No electrical power at the chamber> Removable plug for connecting a suction lance

enabling local emptying and easy cleaning> A stopper can be quickly installed to isolate the

vacuum sewer for valve maintenance> Optimum wastewater sump capacity to ensure

a constant air-liquid flow rate

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The RoeVac®Vacuum Sewer System

Vacuum Technology

Left page:Vacuum station buildingwith buried vacuum vessel, bio-filtres and RoeVac®collection cham-ber for condense water (front).

Left: Schematic view of vacuumstation with buried vacuum vesseland submersible discharge pumps

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Above: 65mm dia RoeVac®vacuum valve (diaphragm type)including pneumatically

Below: 75mm dia RoeVac®pinchvalve including pneumaticallyactivated controller (behind)installed in a collection chamber.

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activated controller (in front)and sensor cap (white) installedin a collection chamber.

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Vacuum Technology

Quality and ReliabilityThe valve unit, which works pneumatically, consists of thevacuum valve (diaphragm type) and the associated con-troller. RoeVac® vacuum valves are all-purpose, easy tomaintain valves with a long design life. There are two typesof units: the 50mm and 65mm dia units are normallyinstalled, but where flow rates are high, e.g. restaurants,hotels and public buildings, the 75 mm dia pinch valve isrecommended.

The RoeVac® pinch valve was developed for special appli-cations. Its robust construction and 75mm dia clear flowpath makes it particularly suitable for high flow rates andwastewater with high solids content.

RoeVac® vacuum valves do not require electrical connec-tions. The valves are activated pneumatically by rising waterlevel in the collection sump.

The RoeVac®Vacuum Valve Units

The function of the RoeVac® controller is to open thevacuum valve when the level of wastewater in the sump ofthe collection chamber is rising, and to close the valve afterthe batch volume and a preset amount of air has been evac-uated from the sump. Valve opening times and air-liquidflow rates can be adjusted optionally by the controller.Roediger Vacuum can also offer a sump and valve monitor-ing system that includes the street name and house number.

Quality AssuranceThe various components of the RoeVac® vacuum sewersystem are manufactured to the highest quality standardsby Roediger Vacuum GmbH in Germany. For example, thereliability of the Vacuum Valve Units has been proven in anaccredited endurance test with more than 300,000exhausting-cycles. The company operates a quality assur-ance system complying with the requirements of DIN ENISO 9001 and EN 1091. This ensures all components aremanufactured in accordance with prescribed quality controlprocedures.

All components used in the RoeVac® system are designedin accordance with “DWA-ATV Design Manual A116”.

Above both: Covers are availablefor pedestrian (centre: G-typecollection chamber) or heavy dutyloading (right: Z-type collectionchamber).

Left and centre: G- and Z-typecollection chamber – The vacuumvalves are installed in the valvechamber of the Roevac®collectionchamber, hygienically separatedfrom the wastewater in the sump.

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Below right: Evacuation of toiletwastewater tanks on boats at theOlympic Sailing Centre in Athens,Greece

Above: Supply and evacuationat apron

Below: Evacuation of toiletwastewater storage tanks onan ICE train

Vacuum Technology

Innovation and ExpertiseRoediger Vacuum GmbH has a history of more than160 years and is part of the Bilfinger Berger UmwelttechnikGmbH.With its international experience, the company hasthe expertise to identify and solve environmental problems.

In the field of vacuum technology Roediger Vacuum hasoperated successfully for over 40 years. Roediger Vacuumis one of the world’s leading contractors in the designand construction of vacuum sewer systems. In many coun-tries Roediger Vacuum has a local partner or is representedby a local agent. Contact us for details of our localrepresentative.

Background and DiversityWe offer a substantial range of products andevacuation solutions in the following fields:

> Vacuum Sewer Systems> Vacuum Sanitation Systems for buildings and ships> Vacuum Sewer Systems for industrial complexes> Evacuation of wastewater from trains and aircraft> Management of wastewater from hospitals> Evacuation of wastewater from Marinas

Above: Collection and dischargeof wastewater from public areas,F1 Circuit, Shanghai, China,(Wastewater discharge 44 l/s).

Below:Municipality of Gräfenhain,Germany. The wastewater from160 house collection chambers is col-lected at a central vacuum station.