FORWARD WATER
- PROJECTS
- Dec 23, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Investigating the application of forward osmosis and downstream processing for resource recovery of wastewater
Duration: 22.12.2019 – 22.6.2023
Funding programme: 1st Call for H.F.R.I. Research Projects to Support Faculty Members and Researchers and Procure High-Value Research Equipment.
Project budget: HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-02
SEL NTUA budget: € 190.000
Coordinator: SEL NTUA
SEL NTUA role: Project coordinator
Project website: forwardwater.gr
Project summary and objectives
The main objective of the FORWARD-WATER project was to investigate and implement an innovative process, which consists of the pre-concentration of municipal wastewater using the spontaneously occurring forward osmosis (FO) process followed by suitable downstream processes for energy and material recovery. These processes consist of anaerobic treatment through the application of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for energy recovery and chemical precipitation for nutrient recovery in the form of struvite.
This approach converts municipal wastewater into a low volume effluent characterised by high concentrations of organic carbon and nutrients, thus increasing the efficiency of downstream recovery processes.
Project demonstration sites
In the FORWARD-WATER project, an innovative lab-scale wastewater treatment system was applied and tested at the SEL NTUA facilities. In the FO system, the wastewater pre-concentration process was investigated as a function of different types and concentrations of draw solutions, flow rates, orientations, membrane materials and cleaning techniques. Energy recovery from sewage was examined in the UASB system, focusing on parameters like hydraulic retention time, organic loading rate, incoming organic matter concentration, and salt presence. Nutrient recovery from the UASB effluent was studied in a downstream struvite crystallizer under various operating conditions (e.g., pH, molar ratio, mixing and settling time). The integrated FO- UASB- struvite crystallization process was also evaluated for its environmental, economic and social impacts.
Throughout the project implementation, a highly innovative wastewater treatment system was investigated from a technological, environmental, economic and social perspective. Key constraints and challenges were identified, while communication channels were established with potential stakeholders, contributing to the further implementation of this technological combination for energy and material recovery on a larger scale.
Our role in the project
NTUA SEL was responsible for coordinating and implementing the entire FORWARD-WATER project, including financial management, conducting experimental investigations on the innovative FO-UASB-struvite system, and evaluating its impact from an environmental, economic, and social perspective.
