Enhancing Nutrient Recovery from Blackwater Using Membrane Technology
In this project, we are stepping towards more efficient method for blackwater treatment using ceramic membrane and exploring innovative methods suitable for large-scale implementation. This project is funded by Däg&Nät.
The aim of this research is to remove suspended solids and colloidal material from anaerobically digested blackwater using a ceramic microfiltration membrane to improve the quality of the blackwater and consequently improve the efficiency of downstream processes. This prompts us to conduct experiments on struvite precipitation of membrane-treated blackwater to evaluate the impact of membrane technology on downstream process facilitation.
Concentrated blackwater can be a resource for nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus (Daelman et al., 2013). According to Van Voorthuzien et. al (2008), blackwater should be free of particles and colloids to precipitate scarce resources such as phosphorus, and the amount of soluble organic matter should be as low as possible. Faecal matter has a high organic load (Alfiya et al., 2019). When it comes to blackwater treatment, membranes may be an option due to their efficient removal of organic material. However, there are still many unanswered questions regarding the application of membrane technology in blackwater treatment that need to be clarified. In addition, the effects of the membrane process on downstream processes need to be investigated, which will be addressed in these studies.
This is a collaborative project between Luleå University of Technology and the Swedish water utility NSVA. The ongoing experiments are taking place at Recolab, the very place where the magic happens!
Contact:
Saida Kaykhaii
PhD student in Urban Water Engineering
Luleå University of Technology
Saida.kaykhaii@ltu.se
+46 920 491845