Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ANAERGY (Advanced Multistage Sequential Wastewater Treatment Technology)
Período documentado: 2020-06-01 hasta 2021-09-30
Improving wastewater treatment technologies is a key EU objective to achieve a sustainable and circular economy. The European strategy has been reinforced in the last 2 years with the publication of the EU Green Pact roadmap and the Circular Economy Action Plan. To achieve these ambitious goals, innovation plays a key role, as it will enable and foster Europe's positioning towards the leadership of a competitive and resource-efficient economy.
In the agri-food industries, water is an essential resource for the development of their productive activity. However, the heterogeneity and seasonality of this sector produces a wide variety of wastewater flows with a high organic load that makes treatment extremely difficult, together with increasingly stringent regulations.
The scarcity of water and the high cost of the water treatments are becoming a real challenge for the sector, which urgently needs effective solutions that minimize costs and the surface area required.
In this context, Ingeobras and Proycon have developed ANAERGY, a modular wastewater treatment system that provides agri-food industries with a tailor-made solution by integrating, for the first time, anaerobic, aerobic and AOP stages. The unique design of the anaerobic digester, which has been improved in this project, allows achieving high pollutant removal rates (95-99%). In addition, the system is capable of integrating PUREMUST® technology, which removes nitrates and sulfates from water. Its small size and flexibility allow for reduced CAPEX and OPEX, together with a response tailored to the needs of clients.
This project will provide the market with a solution that will significantly reduce water discharge rates as well as investment and operating costs. In addition, the high capacity of the technology to remove pollution from wastewater discharges, means improved surface water quality, which also promotes water reuse. Last but not least, the benefits that ANAERGY will bring to the market will make the proposed project profitable with an ROI of 6.6 in 4 years and a payback period in the first quarter of the second year.
To achieve these impacts and benefits in the agri-food industry, the overall objective of this project has been to fully develop the ANAERGY technology and scale the solution to commercial level. The specific objectives addressed during the life of the project are to:
- Develop an improved system for anaerobic wastewater treatment that produces biogas, also optimizing the required HRT.
- Create a modular solution with redesigned connection modules that reduce the main operating problems related to leakage.
- Extend ANAERGY manufacturing and installation to industrial mass production.
- Define a marketing strategy to make ANAERGY technology known to potential end users.
In the agri-food industries, water is an essential resource for the development of their productive activity. However, the heterogeneity and seasonality of this sector produces a wide variety of wastewater flows with a high organic load that makes treatment extremely difficult, together with increasingly stringent regulations.
The scarcity of water and the high cost of the water treatments are becoming a real challenge for the sector, which urgently needs effective solutions that minimize costs and the surface area required.
In this context, Ingeobras and Proycon have developed ANAERGY, a modular wastewater treatment system that provides agri-food industries with a tailor-made solution by integrating, for the first time, anaerobic, aerobic and AOP stages. The unique design of the anaerobic digester, which has been improved in this project, allows achieving high pollutant removal rates (95-99%). In addition, the system is capable of integrating PUREMUST® technology, which removes nitrates and sulfates from water. Its small size and flexibility allow for reduced CAPEX and OPEX, together with a response tailored to the needs of clients.
This project will provide the market with a solution that will significantly reduce water discharge rates as well as investment and operating costs. In addition, the high capacity of the technology to remove pollution from wastewater discharges, means improved surface water quality, which also promotes water reuse. Last but not least, the benefits that ANAERGY will bring to the market will make the proposed project profitable with an ROI of 6.6 in 4 years and a payback period in the first quarter of the second year.
To achieve these impacts and benefits in the agri-food industry, the overall objective of this project has been to fully develop the ANAERGY technology and scale the solution to commercial level. The specific objectives addressed during the life of the project are to:
- Develop an improved system for anaerobic wastewater treatment that produces biogas, also optimizing the required HRT.
- Create a modular solution with redesigned connection modules that reduce the main operating problems related to leakage.
- Extend ANAERGY manufacturing and installation to industrial mass production.
- Define a marketing strategy to make ANAERGY technology known to potential end users.
The project has been organized in 5 milestones to achieve all the project objectives.
MS1 “Upgrading of the anaerobic digester” has been achieved. The innovative technology has been tested with different water matrices, reaching a COD (chemical oxygen demand) removal of 4954 ppm in a Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of 4 hours and a great improvement of the technology has been achieved by including the heat exchanger inside the load balancing area of the digester.
In the second milestone MS2 (Standardization of the integration modules) Ingeobras carried out an analysis of previous contingencies, the search for market solutions and the work related to the standardization of the connection elements. The tasks related to integration and results were fully developed.
The manufacturing of the test bench (MS3) was the largest technical WP of the project. Design, construction and commissioning and the various wastewater flow tests were properly carried out. Furthermore, the operational improvement was performed, in order to optimize the tests and the model created to size each plant.
Regarding MS4 (Consistent Industrial chain), the consortium has established the manuals and protocols developed for the manufacturing process that has composed a complete consistent industrial process.
Due to the COVID pandemic, MS5 (Establishment of a commercial department) has suffered significant variation in its strategy. However we have been able to adapt to this new reality and the results have been very positive.
In the second part of the project, an action plan linked to specific objectives and target audiences has been carried out to maximize the final impact of ANAERGY.
MS1 “Upgrading of the anaerobic digester” has been achieved. The innovative technology has been tested with different water matrices, reaching a COD (chemical oxygen demand) removal of 4954 ppm in a Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of 4 hours and a great improvement of the technology has been achieved by including the heat exchanger inside the load balancing area of the digester.
In the second milestone MS2 (Standardization of the integration modules) Ingeobras carried out an analysis of previous contingencies, the search for market solutions and the work related to the standardization of the connection elements. The tasks related to integration and results were fully developed.
The manufacturing of the test bench (MS3) was the largest technical WP of the project. Design, construction and commissioning and the various wastewater flow tests were properly carried out. Furthermore, the operational improvement was performed, in order to optimize the tests and the model created to size each plant.
Regarding MS4 (Consistent Industrial chain), the consortium has established the manuals and protocols developed for the manufacturing process that has composed a complete consistent industrial process.
Due to the COVID pandemic, MS5 (Establishment of a commercial department) has suffered significant variation in its strategy. However we have been able to adapt to this new reality and the results have been very positive.
In the second part of the project, an action plan linked to specific objectives and target audiences has been carried out to maximize the final impact of ANAERGY.
ANAERGY is a modular solution, which offers to end users a tailor-made and plugin system that optimizes opex and capex. The technology contemplates different wastewater treatments that can be integrated into the final design depending on the customer's needs and wastewater composition.
ANAERGY opens a new business avenue in the wastewater treatment sector for the two companies involved in the project, INGEOBRAS and PROYCON. In addition, INGEOBRAS has already found that ANAERGY has a positive downstream impact on its other water technologies due to the commercial agreements reached with strategic players in water sector.
The achievement of ANAERGY's objectives generates social, environmental and economic benefits for the society, contributing to general welfare, water and food security and sustainable development, among which we highlight:
- The residence time is shorter than that of traditional solutions, so the size is smaller and the investment is lower. In addition, being smaller, the operating temperature is maintained and heat losses are avoided, which saves operating costs.
- Develop an innovative technology that is capable of achieving the removal of 4954 ppm COD in 4 hours.
- It is a robust system but at the same time easy to install thanks to its modularity. This saves up to 50% in installation and assembly costs.
- Being a modular system, it can be configured and customized to meet users’ needs, i.e. it is totally flexible.
- It is capable of producing biogas that can be used for self-supply and as a renewable energy source.
- Water treated with ANAERGY can be returned to the environment without further treatment thanks to its high rate of pollutant removal. Thanks to its modularity, ANAERGY is able to reduce large amounts of nitrogen and a high organic load, generating biogas. By reducing water pollution, ANAERGY is facilitating sustainable societal growth.
- This is the first time that advanced aerobiosis, anaerobiosis and oxidation technology has been integrated. At the moment there are no other alternative solutions like ANAERGY on the market.
- The technology is optimized to the maximum to reduce the associated operating and investment costs.
This project is fully aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6 and 9 and 11 and with the European Green Pact in its policy areas "Sustainable Industry" and "Elimination of Pollution" with specific targets related to water stress reduction and clean water.
ANAERGY opens a new business avenue in the wastewater treatment sector for the two companies involved in the project, INGEOBRAS and PROYCON. In addition, INGEOBRAS has already found that ANAERGY has a positive downstream impact on its other water technologies due to the commercial agreements reached with strategic players in water sector.
The achievement of ANAERGY's objectives generates social, environmental and economic benefits for the society, contributing to general welfare, water and food security and sustainable development, among which we highlight:
- The residence time is shorter than that of traditional solutions, so the size is smaller and the investment is lower. In addition, being smaller, the operating temperature is maintained and heat losses are avoided, which saves operating costs.
- Develop an innovative technology that is capable of achieving the removal of 4954 ppm COD in 4 hours.
- It is a robust system but at the same time easy to install thanks to its modularity. This saves up to 50% in installation and assembly costs.
- Being a modular system, it can be configured and customized to meet users’ needs, i.e. it is totally flexible.
- It is capable of producing biogas that can be used for self-supply and as a renewable energy source.
- Water treated with ANAERGY can be returned to the environment without further treatment thanks to its high rate of pollutant removal. Thanks to its modularity, ANAERGY is able to reduce large amounts of nitrogen and a high organic load, generating biogas. By reducing water pollution, ANAERGY is facilitating sustainable societal growth.
- This is the first time that advanced aerobiosis, anaerobiosis and oxidation technology has been integrated. At the moment there are no other alternative solutions like ANAERGY on the market.
- The technology is optimized to the maximum to reduce the associated operating and investment costs.
This project is fully aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6 and 9 and 11 and with the European Green Pact in its policy areas "Sustainable Industry" and "Elimination of Pollution" with specific targets related to water stress reduction and clean water.