H2020 REMEB Project: Ecological ceramic membrane bioreactor (MBR) based on recycled agricultural and industrial waste for wastewater reuse
- Type Project
- Status Filled
- Execution 2015 -2018
- Assigned Budget 1.869.853,88 €
- Scope Europeo
- Main source of financing H2020
- Project website REMEB
As a general objective of the project, all the work carried out during this period (and the previous one) has been oriented towards the implementation and validation of an MBR based on recycled flat ceramic membranes in a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).
To this end, all planned activities have been carried out. First, different versions of the ceramic membranes have been manufactured and validated. The REMEB MBR was built according to the Aledo WWTP specifications, established in WP2. In WP3, the membrane manufacturing process was defined, and FACSA subcontracted an external ceramic company to produce different sets of industrial membranes, following the specifications established by the project partners. Furthermore, the membrane manufacturing process was optimized, and various waste materials from different sources were explored: Italy, Türkiye, and Spain.
This work was complemented by the progress made in WP4, in which the REMEB cassette and MBR were designed and manufactured to validate the membranes at full scale at the Aledo WWTP.
REMEB partners have also worked on other non-technical aspects, related to the replication of the technology in both municipal and industrial wastewater (WP5), the definition of a business plan and an operating plan (WP6), and, very intensively, on the dissemination and communication actions of the project (WP7).
As effluent standards for municipal wastewater treatment plants become more stringent, water authorities are investing more in wastewater treatment technologies, which can dramatically improve effluent quality and provide new opportunities and possibilities for reuse (agriculture, industrial uses, wetland reclamation, street cleaning, and recreational uses, etc.).
In this sense, wastewater treatment using membrane bioreactors (MBRs) can be an exceptional alternative for increasing reclaimed water production worldwide. However, the main problem with current MBRs is their high cost, which limits their market adoption.
The REMEB project proposes a new type of MBR that will significantly reduce the cost of the technology. The problem with current inorganic membranes is their high cost. REMEB ceramic membranes are based on low-cost materials, byproducts of agricultural and industrial processes, such as olive pits (from olive oil production) used as pores, marble dust, and chamotte (from the remains of fired tiles).
By introducing these residues, the price of the low-cost ceramic membrane will be reduced compared to commercial ceramic membranes made from alumina, zirconium, or titania.
In summary, the overall objectives of the REMEB project are the implementation and validation of a low-cost ceramic membrane bioreactor (MBR) in a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), the study of the impact and replication of the technology for water reuse in water-scarce regions and in the industrial sector, and, finally, the definition of a suitable business plan to initiate the commercialization of the technology once the project is completed.
The main objectives of the REMEB project are the implementation and validation of a low-cost ceramic membrane bioreactor (MBR) in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), the study of the impact and replication of the technology for water reuse in water-scarce regions and the industrial sector, and finally, the definition of an appropriate business plan to initiate the commercialization of the technology once the project is completed.
The project's low-cost recycled ceramic membranes are based on waste obtained from agricultural and industrial processes (by-products), such as solid waste from olive oil, marble working scrap, and chamotte from fired scrap, in addition to typical raw materials used in the ceramics industry. The project aims to achieve several specific objectives: valorization of waste from different agricultural or industrial processes, manufacturing of an innovative product using recycled materials, validation of a new MBR with lower initial and operating costs through the use of low-cost ceramic membranes, and comparison between the REMEB MBR and the MBR in operation at the WWTP selected for validation.
Replication of both manufacturing and validation tasks is ensured by repeating the processes at some of the participating facilities. Membrane manufacturing will be replicated in Turkey and Italy. The replication study of MBR implementation in the urban and industrial wastewater sector will be conducted in Colombia and neighboring countries, Cyprus and neighboring countries, and Europe. In addition, the environmental impact assessment of the product and process will be conducted using the LCA method. Finally, the entire consortium will develop a marketing and dissemination plan for the technology.
This technology is expected to be widely implemented, mainly due to the low cost of REMEB MBR (3.5 times lower than an organic membrane MBR and 2.5 times lower than a ceramic MBR).
To date, the use of ceramic membranes has been unviable in many applications, such as municipal wastewater treatment, due to their high cost. Therefore, this system is not widely implemented in the sector. Ceramic membranes offer significant advantages that make them particularly suitable for use in MBR systems. The main advantages of ceramic membranes are their superior chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties, which allow them to be used under harsh conditions and with aggressive cleaning procedures (high temperatures and powerful cleaning reagents).
The functionality of ceramic membranes in filtration treatments is based on their high permeability and small pore size. This is typically achieved by combining a porous support with a thin, small-pore selective layer. High-permeability supports are typically obtained by adding pore formers, materials that oxidize or decompose during sintering, generating the necessary porosity in the support. The most commonly used pore formers in low-cost ceramic membranes are starches from various sources. However, various waste products, such as grape pomace, paper industry waste, and almond shells, have been used as pore formers.
The use of industrial or agro-industrial waste as poroformers has not previously been applied in the manufacture of ceramic membranes. Furthermore, to date, other types of waste, such as marble dust or chamotte, have not been included in the composition. These materials are not poroformers, but can be incorporated into the composition of ceramic membranes to provide calcium oxide (marble dust) or to improve extrusion performance. REMEB has developed this dual approach, including both types of waste, to reduce the cost of the membranes.
Regarding the impact of the developed solution, it is worth mentioning the economic impact, related to the technology's exploitation potential and strong commercial prospects. While the specific business plan will be developed during the second phase of the project, significant industry interest has already been noted in the project's progress and future replication actions. In this regard, a specific action plan is being defined within WP5 and WP6 to address these aspects.
Future development projects will provide new market and employment opportunities and will contribute to positioning Europe as a world leader in water technologies. Regarding environmental and social aspects, the introduction of this type of technology will promote circular economy concepts by reusing different types of waste for membrane manufacturing and will increase the potential for improving effluent water quality in WWTPs. The MBR will provide new opportunities and possibilities for effluent reuse. All of these aspects will be very positive for the water sector and, also, for end users.
- SOCIEDAD DE FOMENTO AGRICOLA CASTELLONENSE S A (FACSA)
Related projects
