Project description
Innovative energy-efficient dredging technology
Dredging removes undesirable substances from the depths of rivers, lakes, and harbours. Globally, up to 40 % of sediments dredged each year are highly contaminated and necessitate treatment before their disposal in landfills. In this context, the EU-funded ASEC project will create a pilot plant with a capacity of 10 cubic metres per day, dedicated to the separation and optimisation of both water and solids derived from dredged materials. The primary innovation is an energy-efficient zero liquid discharge (ZLD+) technology that can separate 100 % of dredged materials into two valuable components: fresh water and crystallised solids. Remarkably, this breakthrough is achieved in a singular step, entirely devoid of the utilisation of chemicals.
Objective
Dredging is an essential activity to maintain maritime and river routes, coastal protection to flooding, among others. Every year, over 2 Bm3 of sediments are dredged around the world, 20-40% of which are highly polluted and must be treated before being disposed to landfill (as current treatment and separation technologies do not allow to cost-efficiently valorise the water and the solids from this dredged material).
Water Challenge has developed and patented the first energy-efficient truly Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD+) technology able to separate 100% of dredged material into fresh water and crystalized solids in one step, without chemicals and with very low energy consumption (<20 kWh/m3).
The aim of this project is to develop a pilot plant of 10 m3/day of capacity to separate and valorise the water and solids from dredged materials. This plant will be pivotal to showcase the technology and business model, before scaling it and replicating it around Europe.
Fields of science
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementbusiness models
- engineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologies
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processes
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-EIC-ACC-BF - HORIZON EIC Accelerator Blended FinanceCoordinator
28043 Madrid
Spain
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.