SCHWARZE PUMPE SETTLING BASIN
Task: Removal and disposal of tar residues, clean-up of holding basins
Time frame: Mai 1999 to February 2000
Substances: 17,230 tons of tar residues, 3,590 tons of phenolic wastewater
Schwarze Pumpe settling basin
Lobbe emptied, disposed of the materials, and cleaned three settling basins on the grounds of the former Schwarze Pumpe gas combine. In preparation for the demolition of the entire facility, the goal of the clean-up project was to rid the area of tar-oil products that had been stored for years at the site
Information
The tar-oil products that were still fluid were removed by means of an exentric worm-drive pump fitted to the boom of a crane. The Lobbe vertical cutter was employed to mechanically "work" the tar in the immediate vicinity of the swivelling crane. This homogenized the residue and substantially enhanced the capability of the material to be pumped.
A cable dredger was used to remove the solid residues. Fine grained aerated concrete was u-sed to stiffen the residues for loading and haul away to the appropriate processing facilities. A wrecking ball attached to the crane, in addition to specially-configured steel elements, and high pressure water jet technology were used for the final cleaning of the settling basin walls.
