Talk given by Prof. Long Nghiem School of Civil Mining and Environmental Engineering University of Wollongong Australia Abstract: In this talk, I will outline our recent work to develop a platform to transform wastewater treatment facilities to biorefineries. Our research addresses the need for resource recovery, energy conservation, secured water supply, and wastewater sanitation, which are some of the most vexing challenges of our time. Innovative use of forward osmosis (FO), membrane distillation (MD), and anaerobic treatment technology can revolutionise the water industry. Major advantages of FO and MD include operation at very low hydraulic pressures, high rejection of a broad range of contaminants, and lower propensity for membrane fouling than in pressure-driven membrane processes. FO and MD can be used to directly extract clean water from raw sewage, while simultaneously concentrating wastewater to the level suitable for anaerobic treatment. Anaerobic treatment of wastewater, sludge, and organic waste can produce biogas, which can then be used by a combined heat and power engine to produce electricity and thermal energy. The thermal energy produced can be used for MD and the anaerobic process itself, while surplus electricity can be supplied to the grid. The anaerobic process also converts biologically bound phosphorus into a soluble form, thus, allowing for phosphorus recovery in the form of struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) or hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2).

This event is part of the eventgroup INT Talks

Homepage
https://www.int.kit.edu/events.php

Speaker
Prof. Long Nghiem

University of Wollongong
http://www.uow.edu.au/~longn/Publication.htm

Organizer
Dr. Matthias Hettler
Institut für Nanotechnologie
KIT
Karlsruhe
Mail: matthias hettler ∂does-not-exist.kit edu
https://www.int.kit.edu

Targetgroup
Interested / Everyone