Research project ZERO BRINE

Re-designing the Value and Supply Chain of Water and Minerals: A circular Economy Approach for the Recovery of Resources from Brine generated by Process Industries

Credit:

European Commission

The project aimed at demonstrating new solutions to recover and recycle valuable materials present in industrial waste-water streams, in order to implement a circular economy approach in various process industries. This approach consists in the development of technological solutions and business models to redesign the post-treatment chains of the effluents generated by the industrial processes. New configurations will be devised to recover the resources present in the brines, such as pure water, sodium chloride and magnesium, while eliminating wastewater discharge and minimizing environmental impact of industrial operations.

Research project ZERO BRINE

 

Duration

June 2017 until November 2021

Funded by

European Commission (EC) in the funding programme Horizon 2020

Project participants

  • Technical University Delft
  • National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)
  • Eurecat Fundacio CTM Centre Tecnologic
  • Witteveen+Bos Raadgevende ingenieurs B.V.
  • Universita Degli Studi di Palermo
  • Politechnika Slaska
  • Sociedad de Fomentp Agricola Castellonense, S.A.
  • Sealeau BV
  • European Water Supply and Sanitation Technology Platform
  • Revolve Media
  • The University Court of the Univeristy of Aberdeen
  • Lenntech BV
  • IVL Svenska Miljoeinstitutet AB
  • Evides Industriewater BV
  • Tubitak Marmara Research Center
  • Huntsman (Europe) BVBA
  • Europiren B.V.
  • Arvia Technology Limited

The project will integrate several existing and innovative technologies aiming to recover end-products of high quality and sufficient purity with good market value. A large scale demonstration plant will be developed in the Energy Port and Petrochemical cluster of Rotterdam Port, involving local large industries. The demo plant will be able to treat part of the brine effluents generated by the industry water supplier (EVIDES), while waste heat will be used in neighboring factories. Moreover, three large-scale pilot plants will be developed in other process industries, i.e. textile, coal mining and silica industry. The focus of the DLR activities is the development of an integrated model to simulate and optimize the treatment chains. The simulations will concern all the pilot plant operations, and include the different desalination and purification technologies accounted.

Departments, research groups and chalenges related to ZERO BRINE:

Department

Energy Systems Analysis

The Energy Systems Analysis department generates system-analytical knowledge, which we provide across sectors up to the global level and based in part on methods and modelling tools developed in-house.

Research group

Energy Scenarios and Technology Assessment

The Energy Scenarios and Technology Assessment research group assesses alternative options and pathways for the transformation towards a sustainable energy economy. The aim is a holistic assessment across the entire life cycle of the technologies.

Challenge

Strategies for sustainable energy systems

Energy transition is a dynamic process that must be continuously adapted to new influences such as technical innovations or socially negotiated framework conditions.

Contact

Energy Scenarios and Technology Assessment

Research Group
Institute of Networked Energy Systems