Descripción del proyecto
Más residuos y menos agua intensifican la producción de biocarburantes
Los combustibles fósiles son restos de hidrocarburos de organismos que en algún momento estuvieron vivos. Aunque son ricos en energía, al quemarlos se generan emisiones, y su creciente escasez plantea problemas en la seguridad del suministro y la volatilidad de los precios. Otra fuente de hidrocarburos de alta energía son los residuos humanos, aunque en este caso provienen de organismos vivos. Esta última energía renovable está ampliamente disponible y carece de restricciones. Lograr que las enormes cantidades de materia orgánica en las aguas residuales municipales sean útiles requiere métodos para concentrarla a fin de aumentar la productividad de los pequeños organismos que la convierten en biogás. El proyecto InnoDAF, financiado con fondos europeos, allana el camino para la explotación de un prometedor enfoque de concentración ascendente mediante una modelización holística y una campaña experimental a fin de caracterizar y optimizar procesos y parámetros.
Objetivo
Water and resources recovery from sewage stand at the foreground of circular economy and technological innovation in the wastewater industry 4.0. The approach of up-concentration of municipal effluent upon arrival at the wastewater treatment facilities followed by anaerobic digestion allows closing cycles and is an alternative solution to conventional activated sludge processes, which have little or no reuse. Dissolved air flotation (DAF) has great potential as an up-concentration process, a first priority of the above-mentioned combo system. To bring the technology readiness level of DAF for up-concentration of sewage and A-sludge to a higher level to make it ready for the market, the knowledge gap in fluid mechanisms of flocculation and hydraulic performance in DAF will be addressed based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling and integrated model framework of CFD and PBM (population balance model) and XDLVO (extended Derjaguin-Laudau-Verwey-Overbeek) forces, a totally complete bottom-up approach. Extensive validation experiments of fluid flow velocity, bubble and floc property (density, size distribution, interfacial force, etc.) and residence time distribution in bench- and pilot-scale DAF will be carried out together with the modeling work to build a simulation platform for reliable hydrodynamic prediction in DAF. Based on this platform, optimization of DAF will be carried out in terms of design and operation. A major reduction in the pretreatment flocculation times and an increase of floc stability will be achieved by optimizing contact zone, flocculator pipes and chemical dosage in sewage up-concentration. A major increase in the hydraulic loadings with flow pattern optimization will be pursued by modifying the configuration of contact and separation zone and by varying operations.
Ámbito científico
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwater treatment processeswastewater treatment processes
- engineering and technologyenvironmental biotechnologybioremediationbioreactors
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesclassical mechanicsfluid mechanicsfluid dynamicscomputational fluid dynamics
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EFCoordinador
9000 Gent
Bélgica