PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Phosphorus (P) is a key nutrient in fertilisers and is therefore essential for the EU’s food production. As the EU has only limited phosphate rock reserves, phosphorus is listed as a critical raw material by the EU.
Phosphorus use therefore needs to become more sustainable and should include P-recycling from secondary resources, such as sewage sludge. Sewage is a phosphorus-rich waste stream that has a high potential for P recovery. Until now, this potential has been underutilised and current technologies have insufficient recovery potential.
The innovative route to recover phosphorus as a vivianite product using ViviMag technology provides high recovery rates of phosphorus and can potentially provide for 12% of EU phosphorus needs. Furthermore, vivianite (a hydrated iron phosphate mineral) is considered to have great potential as a fertiliser, replacing current fossil-mineral based fertilisers.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE Phos4EU project aims to provide the water sector with a highly (cost) effective method for phosphorus and iron recovery and reuse in sustainable products.
The project will demonstrate phosphorus and iron recovery from sewage using the innovative ViviMag technology at an industrial scale. Pilot tests have delivered proof of concept of the ViviMag technology up to a technology readiness level (TRL) of 7 (Demonstration of the prototype system in an operational environment).
LIFE Phos4EU is a close-to-market project and aims to demonstrate the:
Successful implementation of ViviMag technology at the wastewater treatment plant of Breda, Netherlands at a representative scale of 9 m3/h (50% of full capacity).
Development of value chains for reuse of recovered vivianite (phosphorus and iron).
Successful replication at the wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in Roermond (Netherlands) and Burgos (Spain).
Development of a business exploitation plan for roll out and replication of the technology.
RESULTS
The project’s expected results are:
- Successful implementation of ViviMag technology at a scale of 9 m³/h (50% of full capacity).
- Recovery of 631,000 kg of vivianite. 80% will be used directly as fertiliser, another 10% will be used to produce phosphoric acid fertiliser and iron chloride (FeCl3), and 10% will be used for market development for paints and white phosphor used in fire retardants.
- Reduction of 229,000 kg CO2, corresponding to:
- 145,000 kg CO2 reduction from recovered vivianite used as direct fertiliser.
- 15,000 kg CO2 reduction from recovered vivianite used to produce phosphoric acid.
- 69,000 kg CO2 reduction from recovered vivianite used to produce FeCl3.
Reduction of primary phosphorus use by 78,000 kg.
Reduction of primary iron use by 21,000 kg.
Sewage sludge reduction of 2,500 tonnes (which translates into € 150,000 of savings).
