Wastewater disposal is currently undergoing a paradigm shift from a waste management industry towards a resource-oriented approach that utilizes and recovers important wastewater ingredients and reduces energy consumption. While initial approaches are being implemented in Germany, the development and adaptation of technologies and concepts is required for the implementation in other parts of the world. The PIRAT Systems project pursues the approach with an interdisciplinary team of German and Chinese players (planners, plant manufacturers, operators, fertilizer processing companies, authorities and research institutes) to develop and adapt selected technologies to the Chinese market as well as concepts for the enhancement of energy efficiency based on investigations on large-scale Chinese sewage treatment plants and to integrate sustainable components. In order to transfer these technologies to other wastewater plants both inside and outside of China, design approaches and simulation models have to be developed serving as planning tools as well as guidelines for decision-making. Hence, sustainable operational settings can be identified for several conditions and ICS strategies for an integrated operation of the system components could be developed. Furthermore, transition paths could be evaluated. In close cooperation between the German and Chinese partners, implementation and application of the results on sewage treatment plants in China are demonstrated. Thereafter, the system boundaries of sewage treatment plants will be extended. The marketing possibilities of recycling products are examined and the preparation and feeding of biogas into the natural gas grid are examined. Promoting and inhibiting implementation factors, including public acceptance, are identified. The overarching goal of the project is the closure of material cycles while ensuring an extremely good purification performance of sewage treatment plants to meet the strict limits in China and, consequently, the improvement of the environmental situation (climate protection, reduction of emissions, protection of water, air and soil).
