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combining scientific excellence with commercial relevance
Phosphate recovery from
sewage
Innovation through Technology and Research in the Netherlands
Toronto June 19th, 2014
Leon Korving
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Recovery from sewage
Decentral Sewage treatment Sludge treatment
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Examples decentral projects
Saniphos
Since 2010
5000 m3 urine/year
10.000 p.e.
Waterschoon
Since 2007 (2 phases)
Black water
60 – 200 houses
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Rijnstraat – The Hague
Ministry of Environment
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2016
4000 people/day
Vacuum toilets
Waterless urinals
Digester
Struvite Bio-electrochemical cell
Black water
Urine
Surface water
P: struvite N: ammoniumsulphate
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Revenues – Rijnstraat project
Water savings
Sewer tax
Treatment tax
Other
Positive business case: payback time ca.10 year
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Recovery options
Decentral Sewage treatment Sludge treatment
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Enhanced P-removal
Netherlands
(CBS, 2010)
Enhanced biologicalP-removal
Combined chemical& biological
Chemicalprecipitation
United Kingdom
(UKWIR, 2010)
Enhanced biological P-removal: precondition to struvite recovery
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Struvite projects
Location Since Capacity
(ton P/a)
Remarks
Amersfoort 2015 260 Ostara
Amsterdam 2014 140 Airprex
Echten 2013 29 Airprex
Land van Cuijk 2011 15 Anphos, with dairy industry
Olburgen 2009 60 Phospaq, 15% municipal origin
Total recovered 504
Planned 363
P in sewage water 13 900
Struvite: recovery 20-50% of influent P
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Business case Amsterdam
Cost factor Cost
(kEuro/year)
Capital 307
MgCl2 182
Energy, operation, maintenance 178
Sludge treatment -681
Flocculant -131
P-precipitation with Fe -307
Total -452
Source: STOWA report 2012-27
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Recovery options
Decentral Sewage treatment Sludge treatment
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Recovery from sewage sludge
Sludge treatment (EU 27, 2005)
Trend towards incineration & agriculture
NL: 100% incineration
A. Kelessidis, A.S. Stasinakis , Waste Management 32 (2012) 1186–1195
Agricultural application
Incineration
Composting
Landfill
Others
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Recovery from sewage ash
Advantages:
• High volume
• high P concentration
Ash needs to be treated to:
• Remove heavy metals
• Increase availability of P
Main driver = reduction of ash disposal costs:
• Maximum value of P in ash: 10 Euro/ton
• Current ash disposal costs: 70 Euro/ton
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Recovery from sewage ash
Technologies for P-recovery from ash:
• Raw material for phosphorous production
(Thermphos, † 2013)
• Thermochemical treatment (PK-fertilizer)
(SUSAN/AshDec/Outotec)
• Wet chemical treatment (DCP, TSP, DAP)
(Ecophos, Easymining, ICL)
2014: investment decision for Ecophos plant
4000-5000 ton P/a from sewage sludge ash
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Summary
P-recovery already feasible
No “one size fits all” solution
Market share and recovery are limited
The value of phosphate is NOT the
driver for P-recovery
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Innovation through cooperation
Multi disciplinary
Triple Helix
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From idea to business
2010-2012
Lab tests
2013-2015
Pilot
2016
Rijnstraat
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www.wetsus.nl