London - Bio-Composites

London - Bio-Composites

 

SMARTech n.

Integrated municipal WWTP

Key enabling process(es)

SMART-product(s)

Downstream SMARTechA

London (UK)

Formulation of recovered cellulosic and PHA materials+extrusion

Biocomposite (Sludge Plastic Composite – SPC)

 

SMARTech no:

Downstream SMARTechA

Objectives:

- To enable the volume-utilisation of the recovered PHA bioplastics and cellulosic materials through the development of SMART-Plant sludge plastic composites (SPC)

- To test and validate the continuous production of SPC

Challenges:

- Incompatibility between hydrophobic biopolymer and hydrophilic sludge cellulose

- Homogeneity, uniformity and mechanical strength of the composites

- Handling of materials, including material feeding and drying during processing

- Potential redesign of screw geometry

- Potential health and safety issues of new materials

- Identification of uses of final product, which could be heavily influenced by visual appearance and mechanical properties

- Product long term stability

- Market research

- Recyclability studies

Integration within WWTP:

The value-added post-processing technologies for and products from recovered WWTP resources enhance the efficiency of the  existing WWTPs

Key enabling process(es):

- Surface modification of raw materials

- Optimization of formulation and processing parameters

- Feeding equipment and dosing system

- Drying process of sludge cellulose

- New design and manufacturing of screws

- Extraction system

SMART-product(s):

 

Solid and Hollow SPC

Partners involved:

1. UBRUN

2. ECODEK

3. UNIVR

4. CirTec

 

DESCRIPTION:

SMART-Plant sludge plastic composite (SPC) is an entirely new concept beyond the existing wood plastic composite (WPC). SPC is developed using recycled sludge cellulose and PHA biopolymers with special design formulations. SMART-Plant SPC was scaled up with a continuous extrusion in an existing WPC production line. SPC was comparable to the conventional WPC and suitable for building and other industrial applications, while its production considerably consumes the recovered cellulose and delivers novel value added composite materials.

 

IMPACT:

The success of SMART-Plant SPC production proliferates the downstream processing industry with a value of > € 500 million, thus reduce the dependence on foreign feedstock sources and increase the competitiveness of European construction sector.   

 

downstream smartecha 1
downstream smartecha 2

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SMART-Plant scales-up in real environment eco-innovative and energy-efficient solutions to renovate existing wastewater treatment plants and close the circular value chain by applying low-carbon techniques to recover materials that are otherwise lost.

Seven plus two (7+2) pilot systems were optimized for more than two years in real environment in five municipal water treatment plants, including also two post-processing facilities. The systems were automatized with the aim of optimizing wastewater treatment, resource recovery, energy-efficiency and reduction of greenhouse emissions. A comprehensive SMART portfolio comprising biopolymers, cellulose, fertilizers and intermediates were recovered and processed up to the final commercializable end-products.

Dynamic modeling and superstructure framework for decision support was developed and validated to identify the optimum SMART-Plant system integration options for recovered resources and technologies.

The integration of resource recovery assets to system wide asset management programs were evaluated in each site following the resource recovery paradigm for the wastewater treatment plant of the future, enabled through SMART-Plant solutions. The project proved the feasibility of circular management of urban wastewater and environmental sustainability of the systems, through Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Costing approaches as well as the global benefit of the scaled-up water solutions.

Global market deployment was achieved as right fit solution for water utilities and relevant industrial stakeholders, considering the strategic implications of the resource recovery paradigm in case of both public and private water management. New public-private partnership models were also explored connecting the water sector to the chemical industry and its downstream segments such as the construction and agricultural sector, thus generating new opportunities for funding and potential public-private competition.