Expected Results
Design, build and operate an electrolytic pilot prototype, using wastes as secondary raw materials to produce coagulants with an estimated maximum capacity of around 60 m³/day
Saving 100% of commercial coagulants, 25-130 and 20-54 t of Fe and Al commercial coagulants respectively during the project (3,000-15,000€ and 3,000-7,000€). Equivalent to 0.6-3 and
0.5-1.5€ saved per m3 of brine processed for Fe and Al-based products, respectively
80% reduction of CO2 emissions from recycling and/or primary production of Fe and Al thanks to the direct use of scrap metal as raw material
Set the basis to transfer the technology or coagulant produced to the desalination and purification sector, and to other industrial sectors with either generation of brines, consumption of coagulants or both
Valorisation of 75m³/week in Gandia WWTP (100% of received brines), 400 m³/week in Wulpen WWTP (3% of discharged brines to the North sea by the nearby drinking water facility), 1.5m³/week in JOVIAR’S industrial plant (100% of generated brines in their process). A total of 5000 m³ during project duration
Energy consumption of around 9 kWh/kg of metal in the produced coagulants. Energy consumption in coagulant production assisted at 5-100% by renewable energy (photovoltaic) depending on the demosite to be installed
Avoid the transport of commercial coagulants thanks to their on-site generation (360kgCO2 equivalent)
To propose the developed technology for EU Best Available Techniques reference document (BREF) for brine valorisation
Adjustable metal concentration in the produced coagulants of 400-2,000 mgFe/L and 250-700 mgAl/L
Decrease in more than 50% current coagulant treatment costs per m³ of treated wastewater
Demonstrate that the coagulants generated are comparable in terms of purification efficiency (COD, P, turbidity, SS reduction, pathogens and emerging contaminants) to commercial products, thus avoiding the impact associated with the manufacture of such coagulants (±10% difference)
Possibility of modelling the concentration of coagulants based on the demand for self-consumption, supply to other WWTPs and/or commercialisation
Socio-economic and environmental impact of the proposed solution through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Cost Assessment (LCC) and Social LIfe Cycle Assessment (S-LCA)
Valorisation of 0.4-2 kgFe and 0.25-0.7 kgAl per m³ of brine processed (2-10 tFe and 1.3-3.5 tAl during project duration). Recycling steel and Al wastes saves up to 75-95% of the non-renewable primary resources required to process Fe and Al metals for the production of commercial electrodes
Demonstrate that the technology is applicable to the set of WWTPs in the EU where approximately 4,200,000 t/year of coagulant are consumed (1,400,000 t/year PAC and 2,150,000 t/year ferric salts)
Elaboration of the ‘Best Practices & Replicability and Transferability guidelines’ document, which will facilitate the transfer of the demonstrated technology
Exploitation and business strategy plan of the project results