Research projects
The diversity of wastewater and the highly individual design of municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants require new processes that take into account both the requirements of wastewater treatment and P recovery in their interactions. WERA solves this challenge with interdisciplinary research approaches in which two fundamental paths are pursued:
I. Phosphorus recovery from wastewater by adsorption and desorption
Research projects to develop an integrative approach to combined phosphorus elimination and phosphorus recovery from wastewater by means of adsorption and desorption using new adsorber materials.
II. Phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge by precipitation and crystallization
Research projects for the further development of the currently most widespread processes for the phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge by precipitation/crystallization into robust technologies with predictable behaviour.
Projects in four research areas
Research area A: Adsorber materials
Synthesis of novel P-binding micro-, meso- and macroporous adsorber materials for the efficient recovery of phosphates from wastewater systems
| Project A1: | P-selective anion exchangers made from mesoporous silica gels |
| Project A2: | P-adsorbents made from zeolites and MOFs |
| Project A3: | P-adsorbents made from molecularly imprinted polymers |
Research area B: Process analysis and characterization
Model-based description of basic physical mechanisms in P recovery from wastewater and sewage sludge as well as the development of measurement technology for process analysis of complex wastewater systems
| Project B1: | Thermodynamic description of P recovery from wastewater |
| Project B2: | Molecular dynamic simulation of P adsorption |
| Project B3: | P-precipitation analysis by Mössbauer spectroscopy |
| Project B4: | Kinetic analysis of P precipitation by extinction spectroscopy |
| Project B5: | P detection by fluorescence sensors |
Research area C: Separation technology
Development of separation processes for combined P elimination and P recovery and investigation of the separation efficiency, selectivity and kinetics of these processes using novel adsorber materials
| Project C1: | Magnetic separation of P-loaded adsorber particles |
| Project C2: | P adsorption/desorption in fixed bed systems |
Research area D: Process chain
Development of a process chain for combined P elimination and P recovery and its testing on real, dynamic wastewater systems
| Project D1: | Factors influencing P recovery by adsorption and precipitation |
| Project D2: | Mechanical stability of P-adsorber particles in P-recovery processes |
Cooperation between projects
Thematic structure of WERA
The development of processes for efficient P recovery from wastewater is realized in four closely interlinked research areas at WERA. In research area A "Adsorber materials", novel P-selective adsorber particles are synthesized for the efficient separation of dissolved P from wastewater. The development of methods for characterizing the physical and chemical processes involved in P recovery is carried out in research area B "Process analysis and characterization". Here, the physical properties of the wastewater, which varies greatly in composition over time and space, and the basic mechanisms of adsorption/desorption and precipitation/crystallization of P are also investigated using molecular modelling and machine learning methods. Research area C "Separation technology" focuses on the development of technical separation processes for P recovery through adsorption and magnetic separation. Sensitive parameters for structure-property relationships in the degradation of adsorbents and the influences of magnetic field strength and remanence on magnetic separation are investigated. In research area D "Process chain", the findings from the other research areas are combined and the developed adsorber materials as well as simulation, measurement and separation techniques are transferred to the real wastewater system in order to investigate the separation efficiency, selectivity and stability of the adsorber particles in the real dynamic system of a pilot plant. The results will be used, among other things, to specify the requirements for the systems and concepts developed in research areas A, B and C.
Pilot plant for wastewater treatment and recycling
A special device of WERA is the pilot plant for wastewater treatment and recycling, which is available to all PhD students for joint scientific work and for the provision of standardized process media from the wastewater system. PhD students from all research areas (A, B, C and D) can use it for interdisciplinary exchange and can subject the findings from their research activities to an experimental practical test or check the practical suitability of a developed simulation model. By working together on a central pilot plant, the PhD students' scientific and engineering skills are promoted.