Water and waste water technology

Water is indispensable as a foodstuff as well as for agricultural and industrial production. It is therefore paramount to use this important resource with care. In this context, more and more production companies all over the world are faced with the challenge of achieving so-called »zero liquid discharge« by introducing closed production cycles.

As a consequence, the processing industry is in need of safe and fully multifunctional components for water treatment. These components must be light-weight and versatile and allow integration into the companies' existing supply infrastructures (retrofit systems), as well as into modern manufacturing concepts (industry 4.0). Furthermore, not only should they do without chemicals as operating materials; they should also be able to recover valuable constituents, concentrate any contaminants occurring in the process and break them down without residues.

While industrial processes are characterized by high salt loads and persistent organic residual materials from production and cleaning processes, which stands in the way of any effective closed-loop circulation, urban waste water treatment is more concerned with microbiological pollutants from pharmaceuticals, technical microplastics and nutrients, all in low concentration. Fraunhofer IKTS develops a number of technological solutions for these various issues in the field of water and waste water treatment – from the material, part and component levels up to complete processes and plants. Some of these solutions are presented in this brochure.

Topics

 

Waste water

Efficient solutions for the treatment of contaminated water, free from chemicals or microbiological agents – from consulting to plant design. With the right combination of process steps, even constituents that are difficult to treat can be broken down in a targeted and economical way in centralized and decentralized plants.

 

Industrial process water

Systems for the treatment of industrial waste and process water, tailored to specific requirements – Fraunhofer IKTS provides support in the development of suitable strategies for closing cycles and recovering reusable materials.

Cooperation models
 

Innovation and development are the cornerstones of a promising corporate future. In order to create a competitive edge, Fraunhofer offers tailored options for cooperation, so that small and medium-sized companies can work together in the best possible way. This also allows to utilize development skills at short notice and as needed.