Dubai sewage treatment plant relies on AUMA actuators

200 AUMA electric valve actuators are now operating in Phase 2 of the Jebel Ali sewage treatment plant (STP) in Dubai. This increases the number of AUMA actuators on site to more than 400, including the 200 actuators at Jebel Ali STP phase 1 site that have been in operation since 2008. An additional 50 AUMA gearboxes have been installed for manual valve operation.

 

For Dubai Municipality, Jebel Ali STP Phase 2 is an important infrastructure project, helping to accommodate continued population growth as well as new developments including Expo 2020 Dubai. Phase 2 adds 375,000 m3/day of treatment capacity to the 350,000 m3/day already provided by Phase 1, while improving existing processes and treatment quality. The treated water is used for non-potable applications such as irrigation, helping Dubai Municipality reduce the need for desalinated seawater.

 

The AUMA actuators are installed across the entire new plant, located on a 670 hectare desert site. They automate a wide variety of gate valves, butterfly valves and penstocks at all stages of the treatment process. AUMA’s scope of supply includes 200 SA multi-turn actuators with AC actuator controls, some also combined with AUMA gearboxes. The most powerful gearboxes in the plant include six GS 400 part-turn gearboxes that control flow in a DN1800 pipeline, delivering a maximum torque of 125,000 Nm. All actuators are centrally controlled using the Profibus DP communication standard.

 

Some of the new actuators have been installed to automate valves in the phase 1 plant that were previously manually operated. Here, AUMA’s previous experience with similar retrofits proved to be particularly beneficial. AUMA’s local Dubai team provided comprehensive support to consultancy AECOM and contractor BESIX / Larsen & Toubro, from site survey, technical consulting and machining of tailor-made couplings to support for commissioning and training.