Sustainable and efficient industrial water consumption: through energy and solute recovery (Processes4Planet partnership) (RIA)

Wastewater discharge from industry has decreased over decades. This is a consequence of increased regulation (e.g. Industrial Emissions Directive, IED; the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register, E-PRTR), improvements in treatment and the implementation of best available techniques. Amongst process industries, pulp and paper, steel and chemicals have high wastewater discharges. The Processes4Planet target is to demonstrate the potential for 90% of wastewater reuse by 2030. A breakthrough in wastewater reduction could be envisaged, by combining existing technologies and novel water treatment technologies and reuse with process intensification, energy recovery and excess heat use e.g. integrated processes with separation systems will reduce water and energy consumption and the amount of final industrial wastewater produced. In addition, industrial waste waters often contain significant amounts of valuable solutes (e.g. organic matter, salts, phosphates, etc.) which are not optimally valorised.

The proposals should:

• Combine existing and novel water treatment technologies and re-use with process intensification;
• Use in combination smart monitoring technologies including affordable long lasting and reliable sensors and AI driven devices, integrated system risk management models and decision support tools and technologies for water re-use in process industries;
• Seek to integrate advanced digital tools for the optimisation of their process, such as Digital twins;
• Propose new technologies for recovering valuable solutes present in wastewater (metals, organic compounds, etc.) and for eliminating hazardous substances (e.g. micro and nano particles, toxic substances).

The proposals should include energy efficiency, techno-economic and life-cycle assessments considering the overall process. In order to maximize impact, technologies in the proposals should not be focused on one sector, but the proposed solution should be applicable in different types of industries; elements related to the replicability and scalability of the technology should be provided. Proposals are encouraged to consider outcomes from the Horizon 2020 topic CE-SPIRE-07-2020: Preserving fresh water: recycling industrial waters industry.

In addition, the topic could explore synergies with the Ocean and Waters and the Soil missions.

Proposals should build on or seek collaboration with existing projects and develop synergies with other relevant European, national or regional initiatives, funding programmes and platforms. Proposals are encouraged to consider the use of their expected outcomes in a wider approach that might benefit the establishment of Hubs for Circularity.

International cooperation can be considered specially with countries advanced in the field that could bring mutual benefit from different perspectives.

This topic implements the co-programmed European partnership Processes4Planet.