technical data sheets for ecosan components

ecosan sector project - Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH

04 Vacuum Technology

SOLID
BIOWASTE FAECES

(Low pressure systems)

GREY
WATER

RAIN
WATER

COLLECTION

B.1 Vacuum Sewer System

Sewage transport in low pressure system

Water savings up to 80 %

Possibility to collect concentrated blackwater for

further treatment (biogas production)

High flexibility of the system

B.1

URINE

TREATMENT

UTILIZATION

Vacuum Sewer Systems

A General Description
B Detailed Infornation on different
types of Vacuum Technologies
B.1 Vacuum Sewer Systems
B.2 Vacuum Sanitary Installations

B.1.1 Functional principles

Briefly explained, vacuum sewerage
means that in a central vacuum station
a low pressure of about 0.6 bar is
created by at least two vacuum pumps.
The wastewater from the houses is held
1,00 m

1
2,00 m
from
households

pressure
gradient
between the vacuum
station and atmospheric
pressure at the collection
pits is responsible for the
movement of sewage to
the vacuum tank. The
vacuum mains discharge
into a collection tank at
the vacuum station. By
use of sewage pumps,
sewage
will
be
transported to treatment
facilities
or
into
a
conventional
system
afterwards. The exhaust
air can be further treated
in bio filters, consisting of
bark and wood.
The sewers are passed
in specific profiles, in
saw-tooth-pocket
or
wave
profile
with
significant high and low
points.
Wastewater
comes to rest at the low
points and forms plugs.
The system works like a

Figure 3:

data sheets for ecosan projects

to vacuum
sewerage

ecosan sector project

Deutsche
Gesellschaft
fr
Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ)
GmbH

2
Figure 1:

Cross section of Collection

chamber with membrane
valve (ROEDIGER,2002)

back in collection chambers (Figure 1 ),

with pneumatic regulating valves (1),
close to the houses. When a given
volume of wastewater is collected in the
chamber sump (2), a pneumatic
controller (3) is activated by hydrostatic
pressure. The controller opens an
interface valve (1) for an adjustable time
period. The wastewater (10 to 50 l) and
a certain amount of air (20 to 60 l) are
evacuated through the open valve into
the vacuum sewer line (4). The
13/07/2005

Passing procedure depending on

surface conditions
(AIRVAC)

Figure 2:

P.O. Box 5180

65726 Eschborn, Germany
fon: +49 6196 794220
fax: +49 6196 797458
e-mail: ecosan@gtz.de
internet: http://www.gtz.de/ecosan

Pneumatic diaphragm
valve 65 mm (1) and
controller (3)
(ROEDIGER;2002)

version for discussion: please send your comments to ecosan@gtz.de

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technical data sheets for ecosan components

ecosan sector project - Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH

pneumatic tube conveyor: its even

possible to negotiate jumps. When air is
admitted through an upstream interface
valve, these plugs are accelerated and
pushed over the high points towards the
vacuum station.

locating of leaks. Any person with basic

technical knowledge can operate a
vacuum system. High school education

plastic pipelines in 1970 a new

spreading
wave
was
released
worldwide. A further large thrust for the
intensified application of the vacuum

The vacuum station is the heart of the

vacuum sewer system. Wastewater and
air enter the vessel from the vacuum
sewer. The wastewater is collected in
the vessel and if a certain volume is
reached (mostly 25 % of the tanks
volume) it is discharged to wastewater
treatment plants or to conventional
sewer by sewage pumps.

B.1.2 Operation and

maintenance
The vacuum sewerage is a High
Technology and requires of course
correct construction, maintenance and
damage control. If these conditions are
Box 2: Life
expectancy
of
system components in
years [10]
Vacuum vessel

25 to 40

Collection chambers

30 to 55

Vacuum pumps

20 to 30

Piping system

50 to 80

Sewage pumps

12

Pneumatical interfaces

30

guaranteed, the system is reliable and

nearly maintenance-free. Due to the
turbulent flow, blockages wont appear.
Continuous aeration prevents deposits,
odours and septicity. Thus flushing of
the
sewer
is
not
necessary.
Maintenance
and
electricity
consumption are limited to the vacuum
station, and thus concentrated in one
location. Due to the low pressure inside
the pipes, leakages wont occur. Its
even possible to pass the pipes in the
same trench as the drinking water main.
Due to the under-pressure in the
reticulation pipe system, an extended
pump run time, unlike in gravity systems
where leakage can only be noticed by
sewer monitoring will indicate every
damage of pipes. Thus control and
maintenance of the valves and the
piping is not essential.
Access to pipes can be gained at each
collection chamber. Division valves are
installed on major branch connections
and on the mains to allow for isolation of
particular sections for troubleshooting or
repairing. Inspection pipes, installed at
distances of approx. 100 m permit
insertion of inflatable balls and precise
13/07/2005

Figure 4: Vacuum Sewer System (AIRVAC)

is absolutely adequate [21].

Only the pumps in the vacuum station
need electrical power (10 to 30 kWh per
inhabitant per year) and maintenance
ca. once a year, the vacuum station
should be visited once a week carrying
out a visual inspection, which lasts
about one hour [20].
Material used in bio filters (wood, bark)
should be changed every two to three
years.
An emergency generator is necessary
in case of frequent power cuts to
prevent prolonged pump failure and
breakdown of the vacuum system.

drainage took place in Germany with

the entrance of further suppliers of
Box 3: Suitability of vacuum
sewer systems [17]

Low
density
settlement

Decentralised
or
semidecentralized sanitation systems

Insufficient natural slope, i.e. flat

topography

Poor subsoil conditions (i.e.

unstable soil or rock, high
groundwater table, complicate
excavation)

Obstacles to the sewer route

Aquifer protection zones

Seasonal operation (e.g. holiday

resorts)

Minimal space for infrastructure

installations

Water sensitive areas (lakes,

rivers and coasts, or where
flooding can occur)

B.1.3 Extent of application

Vacuum sewerage is not a new
technology; its actually a state of the
art. The beginnings of this today
widespread special drainage procedure
go back to the Dutch engineer Liernur,
who used around the 1860`s for the first
time such systems. In the sixties of the
20th Century the Swede Liljendahl took
up the ideas by Liernur again and
developed them further. The system
was rapidly improved and its reliability
was crucially increased. By the use of

version for discussion: please send your comments to ecosan@gtz.de

population

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technical data sheets for ecosan components

ecosan sector project - Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH

evacuated system in the middle of the

90's. (In this period the main
components interface valve and pumps
were reduced in price around ca. 40 %.)
Thereby the vacuum sewerage became
also interesting for ranges that were
reserved for the gravity sewerage so far
[8,9]. Worldwide there are today five
suppliers of vacuum sewer systems.
The system has been grown out of its
infancy; vacuum sewerage can be
applied all over the world in every
elevation, if certain conditions are given.
Vacuum sewerage lends itself ideally to
rural areas, coastal areas, lakesides,
flat terrain, briefly, anywhere where
difficult terrain would make conventional
gravity system with pumping stations
too expensive.
It is especially suitable for areas with
high groundwater table (lakes, rivers
and coasts, where flooding can occur)
or where water protection areas might
be crossed. Vacuum technology is also
interesting where the wastewater flow is
low or varies in a wide range e.g. in
resorts. Even when the flow is less
wastewater is kept fresh due to aeration
and relatively low periods of staying in
the pipes. In densely populated areas,
vacuum
technology
is
not
an
economical substitute for gravity
systems due to the high wastewater
volumina and thus extended pump run
times. Vacuum technology is not
suitable
where
longer
transport
sessions over 4 km become necessary.

B.1.4 Economical data

Under
difficult
technical
and
topographical
conditions
vacuum
sewerage systems are quite cheaper
than conventional sewerage. If the costs
for conventional systems would exceed
2000 /P vacuum sewerage should be
taken into account [9]. Experiences
have also shown that a minimum of 75
100 customers is needed to be cost
effective [21].

Vacuum sewers are 20 to 25 % less

costly to construct than conventional
sewers due to cost savings listed in the
box 4.
A collection chamber costs about 1500
, about 850 to 900 without
installation [20]. A Vacuum station is
available from 20000 to 100000
depending on size. The electricity
consumption varies between 10 to 30
kWh/(Pa).

B.1.5 Design information

Figure 5:

Collection chamber

Figure 6:

Vacuum
vessel

collection chamber
The collection chamber consists of
polyethylene high density (PE-HD) or
glass reinforced plastics (GRP) and it
contains one membrane (see figure 2)
Box 5 Installation costs
Shoshong, Botswana [14]
Component Quantity Price []
Vacuum
station

1 88 480

Collection
chambers

40 60 000

Sewer line

4 400 m 88 366

station

with

buried

made of PE-HD or polyvinyl chloride

(PVC); both can be glued and welded.
Common diameters are 65 mm to 200
mm. The flow velocity of the plugs is

or piston interface valve (see figure 8),

which are pneumatically regulated.
Ventilation for the correct air/liquid ratio
varies between 3:1 and 15:1 and is
adjusted by the system supplier. The
collection chambers are installed under
driveways, paths, roads or even
gardens.
sewer
The length of the sewer mains varies
between 2 to 4 km, they should be
declined at least with a slope of 0,2 %
towards the vacuum station. The lifts
are installed every 6m to 100m,
depending on the laying procedure and
topography (see figure 2). Pipes are

Box 4: Capital/Operational costs saving due to [7]:

- Narrow and shallow trenches (1,0m to 1,4m)
- Low diameter of sewer (65 mm to 250 mm)
- Efficient construction period
- No requirement for manholes

Figure 7:

- No requirement to clean or remove sediments from within the vacuum

between 4 m/s and 6 m/s.

sewers
- Pump sizes and subsequently electrical power consumption are

significantly reduced concerning no groundwater infiltration.

- Elimination of infiltration allows a reduction of size and costs

of the treatment plant

13/07/2005

Prefabricated compact vacuum

station (Mosel)

vacuum station
The vacuum station should be located
next to a conventional sewer or
wastewater treatment plant and if
possible at a low point. The
constructional design can be variable,

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technical data sheets for ecosan components

ecosan sector project - Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH

e.g. as monolithic or stonewalled

construction up to blockhouses. The

Figure 8:

Vacuum
operating
(QUAVAC)

valve

most common type is a buried steel

vessel due to water tightness, volumes
range from 5 to 25 m. The stations and
collection
chambers
should
be
protected against lifting just as
arrangements for noise and odour
protection should be met. A bio filter
lends
itself
to
exhausted
air
deodorization. Futhermore the vacuum
station consits of at least two vacuumand sewage pumps, which are usually
rotary vane or rotary piston pumps. The
sewage pumps forward the wastewater
automatically to the gravity sewer or
directly to the wastewater treatment
plant.
Detailed information on construction can
be found in the ATV A 116, see B.1.7.

Figure 9:

Vacuum station with an

external buried steel
tank. Vacuum pumps are
in the house
(ROEDIGER,2002)

B.1.6 Strenghts and

weaknesses
Health impact
The probability of pathogen pollution of
the groundwater is only small due to no
wastewater leakage.
Environmental impact
There is almost no opportunity for
nutrient leakage into the soil and the
groundwater; therefore vacuum systems
can be used in groundwater protection
areas. Vacuum sewerage lends itself as

13/07/2005

a tool for integrated ecological

concepts. Compared to conventional
sewer system it does not depend on a
minimum wastewater volume, in order
to transport suspended solid. Water
consumption may therefore be reduced
and no water would be required for
flushing the sewers.

construction
period
according to
obstacles granted. The complexity of
operation and maintenance compared
to gravity drainage is less, but the
pumping energy is required, thus the
system is vulnerable to power
breakdowns and failure of technical or
other assets.

Vacuum sewerage allows for the

transport of a more concentrated
wastewater than gravity systems do. A
high potential for treatment and
recycling of low-diluted flow streams
exists. As an example, vacuum sewers
may be especially useful in ecosan
systems to collect low-diluted black or
brown water only, which could be
treated in an anaerobic digester
producing biogas and fertilizing sludge.

B.1.7 Further reading

Operating the systems requires energy

input for the vacuum pumps.
Costs and benefits
Compared to gravity drainage there
may be lower investment costs due to
the facts mentioned under B.1.4.
Furthermore vacuum technology is
more flexible and more appropriate in
areas with seasonal fluctuations.
Repairs and cleansing are less costly
than for conventional systems.
Socio-cultural suitability
The vacuum sewerage provides the
same
comfort
for
wastewater
evacuation as gravity sewerage.
There are no differences in application
for the user compared to conventional
sewerage. If a breakdown occurs the
storage capacity provided by the service
pipe prevents overflowing into the
basement. Initially there may be some
concerns
regarding
the
vacuum
technology, but first experiences have
shown that once the system is applied,
the acceptance will increase. (see
project
data
sheet
Botswana,
Shoshong)
Fewer accidents occur during the
construction periods due to shallower
trenches. The regional contractor can
be easily involved in the installation of
this system and all the civil work can be
done
without
heavy
excavation
equipment and blasting.
Otherwise
measures
for
noise
protection and odours should be done.
Technical suitability
The vacuum sewerage is a High Tech
solution
and
technically
more
challenging than gravity, on the other
hand it is easy to construct due to the
use of ductile and lightweight material
and there is a high flexibility in the

Complex literature about it hardly exists;

designing concepts are mostly based on
company internal empiric data.
ATV-DVWK-A
116
Besondere
Entwsserungsverfahren,
Teil
1:
Unterdruckentwsserungssysteme
auerhalb von Gebuden
ATV-DVWK, D-53773 Hennef, 2004
Project work by Lars Spth The
Potential of Vacuum Sewerage as an
Alternative in Communal Wastewater
Collection Systems
Lars Spth, D-76128 Karlsruhe, 1998
European Standard EN 1091 Vacuum
Sewerage outside buildings DIN
Deutsches Institut fr Normung e.V.,
Berlin, 1999

B.1.8 Manufacturers
ROEDIGER VAKUUM HAUSTECHNIK
GmbH
Kinzigheimer Weg 104-106
D-63450 Hanau
Phone: +49-(0)-6181-309-275
fax: +49-(0)-6181-309-280
info@roevac.com
http://www.roevac.com/
Vacuum sewerage projects in Germany,
some African and Asian countries,
sanitary systems in Europe, China, and
VAE.
SCHLUFF Kanalisationssysteme
Wasserwaage 5
D-24226 Heikendorf
Phone: +49-(0)-431-24405
schluff@schluff.com
http://www.schluff.com/
Some experience in vacuum sewerage,
collection chamber require additional
energy
Iseki Vacuum systems Ltd.
High March
DAVENTRY
Northamptonshire, NN11 4 QE
Phone: +44-(0)-1327-878777
Fax: +44-(0)-1327-315232
sales@iseki-vacuum.com
www.iseki-vacuum.com
Vacuum sewerage in U.K.

version for discussion: please send your comments to ecosan@gtz.de

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technical data sheets for ecosan components

ecosan sector project - Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH

AIRVAC

http://www.vabgmbh.com/images/Einwe
isung_zum_Bau.pdf

4217 N. Old.U.S. 31
P.O. Box 528, IN 46975
Phone: 574-223-3980
Fax: 574-223-5566
webmaster@airvac.com
www.airvac.com
Vacuum sewerage
company

[9] Goldberg, Bernd, Vacuum sewerage

I&II, newspaper article, p20 to p34.

in

U.S.,

large

QUA-VAC B.V.
Televisieweg 157, 1322 BH ALMERE,
The Netherlands
Phone: +31-(0)-36 54 61 999
Fax: +31-(0)-36 53 50 909
info@quavac.com
www.quavac.com
Vacuum systems supplier for land and
ship applications

B.1.9 Good practice

examples
Shoshong (ROEDIGER)

B.2

References

[1] Jets Standard AS, Vacuum Toilet

System CVS Technical info,
http://standard.jets.no/cgibin/webadm.cgi?cmd=get_file&gid=210
0&id=1209&fname=Teknisk_info_Jets_
Standard_CVS-eng.pdf
[2] EVAC environmental solutions,
2004, Evac Marine systems product
catalogue.
[3] Arne Backlund, Annette Holtze;
2003, Vakuumtoiletter og behandling af
det indsamlede materiale i biogasanlg
eller
vdkomposteringsanlg,
Miljministeriet, kologisk byfornyelse
og
spildevandsrensning
N.36,
http://www.backlund.dk/projekte.htm
[4] Christine Werner and Florian Klingel,
2004, Technical data sheet for ecosan
components: KfW-Offices, Germany,
GTZ sector project ecosan.
[5] www.quavac.com, 2004-10
[6] www.iseki-vacuum.com, 2004-10
[7] ISEKI REDIVAC, 2004, Sewage
Collection Systems The Vacuum Way
an introduction to ISEKI RediVac
Vacuum Technology.
[8] VAB Vakuum Anlagen Bau GmbH,
2003, Anleitung zur Planung von
Vakuumentwsserungsanlagen
nach
dem
system
AIRVAC/VAB,
http://www.vabgmbh.com/images/Anleit
ung_zur_Planung.pdf

[10] ATV-DVWK, 2004, ATV-A 116

Besondere
Entwsserungsverfahren,
Teil
1:
Unterdruckentwsserungssysteme
auerhalb von Gebuden, ATV-DVWK.
[11] Lars Spth, 1998, The Potential of
Vacuum Sewerage as an Alternative in
Communal
Wastewater
Collection
Systems, project work.
[12]
DIN
EN
1091:1996
Unterdruckentwsserungssysteme
auerhalb von Gebuden. In: DIN
Deutsches Institut fr Normung e.V.
(Hrsg), 1999, Abwassertechnik 1.
Gebude
und
Grundstcksentwsserung.
Sanitrausstattungsgegenstnde.
Entwsserungsgegenstnde, p361
[13]
EN
12109,
1999
Unterdruckentwsserungssysteme
innerhalb von Gebuden. In: DIN
Deutsches Institut fr Normung e.V.
(Hrsg), 1999, Abwassertechnik 1.
Gebude
und
Grundstcksentwsserung.
Sanitraustattungsgegenstnde.
Entwsserungsgegenstnde, p436
[14]
Draft
Proposal
of
Water
Conservation Installation and Rainwater
Harvesting at the above-mentioned
institute. College of technical vocational
education
Francistown
Technical
College.
[15] Stefan M. Behnke, 2003, Vacuum
Sewer an element in ecosan system.
GTZ Proceedings of the 2th
International conference on Ecological
Sanitation, 2003. p479
[16] ROEDIGER, ROEVAC VACUUM
TECHNOLOGY The low cost Option.
[17]
Unterdruckentwsserung
2002.

ROEDIGER,
ROEVAC.

[18] ROEDIGER, Informationsmappe

Vakuumtechnik
im
Hochbau.
ROEDIGER, 2004.
[19] www.jets.no, 2004-12
[20] own notes, sketches from company
excursions, own conversations.

technical data sheets for ecosan

projects
ecosan sector project
GTZ-ecosan team
(Christine Werner, Florian Klingel,
Patrick Bracken Ulrike Mosel,
Sebastian Hass)
2005, GTZ

[21] AIRVAC, Overview of Alternative

Conveyance Systems.
[22] www.airvac.com, 2004-11.

[9] VAB Vakuum Anlagen Bau GmbH,

2003, Einweisung zum Bau von
Vakuumentwsserungsanlagen
nach
dem
system
VAB/AIRVAC.

13/07/2005

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