Presentation at the 3rd European Nutrient Event (ENE3) at Ecomondo 2018, 8 - 9 November, Rimini, Italy - Towards circular economy of phosphorus and other nutrients Co-organised by the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP) and Horizon 2020 project SMART-Plant. More information www.smart-plant.eu/ENE3 www.phosphorusplatform.eu

1. Phos4You – PhosForce
Upgrading Phosphorus Recovery
Marisa Cunha, Cédric Mebarki – VEOLIA
3rd EUROPEAN NUTRIENT EVENT @ ECOMONDO 2018
8 - 9 November 2018, Rimini, Italy
www.smart-plant.eu/ENE3

2. www.smart-plant.eu/ENE3Rimini, 8/11/2018 2
Objective: 20 – 25 % recovery > 50 % recovery
Scotland, part of the Phos4You
project.
In partnership with the ERI, Scotland.
Schönebeck, Germany – PhosForce
project.
Consortium:
o Veolia
o MEERI, Poland
o UNL, Portugal
Funding
Lille, France, part of the Phos4You
project.
In partnership with the IRSTEA,
France.
Various pilot projects:

3. We deliver Phosphorus
“made in Europe”
Phosphorus is a nutrient essential for all living organisms, but a finite resource on earth.
Phos4You proves that Phosphorus recovery & recycling from waste water is possible.
from Sept. 2016 to Sept. 2020

4. www.smart-plant.eu/ENE3
Schematic of the plant
4
Struvite MAP - CaP
Sludge separation
Land application
or Industrial reuse
IRSTEA /
METAPHOS®
STRUVIA ®
Digester
Co-substract
WW
Sludges
Sludge separation
Rimini, 8/11/2018

5. www.smart-plant.eu/ENE3
Struvia pilot trials – Initial test at Lille in 2016
Rimini, 8/11/2018 5
pH
(pH units)
Sol. P-PO4
(mg/l)
Sol. N-NH4
(mg/l)
Sol. Mg
(mg/l)
TSS
(g/l)
tCOD
(g/l)
Sol. Ca
(mg/l)
P-PO4
Removal
(%)
Brussels: Effluent from Athos (Wet Air Oxidation process)
8 – 9 200 - 250 3000 - 4000 <10 0.2 – 1 7 - 15 <10 > 80
Brussels: Mixture Athos + centrate of thickened sludge
7.5 – 8.5 80 - 180 100 - 1000 <50 0.2 – 2.5 2 - 6 80 – 150 > 85,
often > 90
Braunschweig: centrate from digested sludge
8.1 – 8.5 340 - 420 1200 – 1400 <2 - 3 0.05 – 0.25 0.5 – 0.9 20 - 25 > 90,
often > 95
Lille- Marquette: Mixture 1st + 2nd digestion centrates (DLD with Exelys thermohydrolysis process) – done with a lab pilot
unit
8.2 – 8.6 95 - 155 750 - 1200 < 9 1 - 2 2 - 3 20 - 55 80 - 90
Dairy in Poland: Filtrate from digested sludge
7.8 – 8.2 50 - 70 ~1000 7 - 50 40 - 200 40 - 80 70 - 95

6. www.smart-plant.eu/ENE3
❑ Total P=12.5-13 %wDS (app. 28-29%w de P2O5)
❑ Total N=5-5.5 %w
❑ Mg = 9.5-10.5%w
❑ Organic Carbon < 1 %w
❑ Ca = 0.5-2 g/kg
❑ K = 1-1.5 g/kg
❑ SiO2 = around 2 g/kg
❑ SO4 = 300-400 mg/kg
❑ Fe = 300-500 mg/kg
❑ Al = 50-100 mg/kg
❑ Mn = 30-40 mg/kg
❑ Zn = 30-40 mg/kg
❑ Cu = around 3 mg/kg
❑ Cr = around 2 mg/kg
❑ Cd, Ni, Pb < 2 mg/kg
❑ Sn < 2 mg/kg
❑ Se < 0.5 mg/kg
❑ As < 0.5 mg/kg
❑ Hg < 0.1 mg/kg
Rimini, 8/11/2018 6
Quality of the struvite produced by STRUVIA®
Granulometry: 200 to 500 µm
in steady state operation conditions
Drained struvite crystals Fertilizer
granules including STRUVIA granules
Pure struvite composition:
- N/P/Mg = 5.7/12.6/9.9
- (29 % P2O5)
Fertilizer granules including
STRUVIA crystals
STRUVIA plant at Helsingør, Denmark

7. www.smart-plant.eu/ENE3
Biological Phosphorous Dissolution Potential (BDBP) test
was develop to assess the maximum amount of P that
could be biologically released from WAS prior liquid
recovery process. This process has been developped by
IRSTEA, our partner
Rimini, 8/11/2018 7
Bio Acidification
reactor
STRUVIA ®
Buffer
Solid/Liq.
separation
Sludge to digestionH.Exch.
OPALIX ®
OPALIX
Metals adsorption
STRUVIA
Suitable for use with
MgO, MgCl2,
Ca(OH)2, …
Brine to WWTP-OffsiteP as MAP or
CaP product
P recovered
Effluent to digestion
Heat from CHP
Sludge
Co-substract
Pilot schematic: IRSTEA-VEOLIA processes

8. Struvia
Buffer
tank
Bio-acidification
Opalix
www.smart-plant.eu/ENE3Rimini, 8/11/2018 8
Pilot implementation
Dewatering
Bio-acidification
DW liquour
buffer tank
OPALIX +
Struvia

9. www.smart-plant.eu/ENE3Rimini, 8/11/2018 9
Sludges selection
Primary treatment
Biological stage
Tertiary treatment
Bio sludge thickener
Primary sludge
Mixing tank
Digestor 1
Lysis
Digestor 2
Dewat. - Dryer
Sands
D4
S3
S2
C5
S1
S1 : Thickened Bio
sludge
S2 : Mixed sludges
S3 : Digested sludge
D4 : Bio sludge
C5 : Primary sludge
Sludge samples have been collected at Lille-Marquette plant, at
different treatment stages:

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First results
Total phosphorus in inlet sludge and ortho-phosphate
released
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
mgP/L
Batch
TP (inlet sludge) P-PO4 (post-bioacidification)
Fluctuations in inlet sludge quality due to the heterogeneity of the mix (primary,
bio, storm water sludges). Feed pH between 5.5 and 6
3,0
3,5
4,0
4,5
5,0
5,5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
pH
%
Batch
% dissolution P-PO4/TP % recovered in DW liquour (P-PO4/TP) pH reached
% P-PO4 solubilised and recovered after bio-acidification
and dewatering
Up to 800 mg/l, > 70% dissolution and recovery of P-PO4 on best batch.
~6 x current [P-PO4] post-digestion

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First results
Molar ratios of relevant elements after bio-acidification.
Recovered P product will probably be calcium
phosphate or a mix of CaP and MAP-struvite.
3,0
3,5
4,0
4,5
5,0
5,5
0,0
0,3
0,6
0,9
1,2
1,5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
pH
mol/mol
Batch
N/P Ca/P Mg/P pH reached
3,0
3,5
4,0
4,5
5,0
5,5
0,00
0,03
0,06
0,09
0,12
0,15
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
pH
mol/mol
Batch
Fe/P Al/P pH reached
Low Fe/P and Al/P molar ratios (<0.15 mol/mol). Low
probability of having major complexation of PO4 by those
elements.

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Tests to be continued
and results to be improved upon.
Thank you for your attention.
marisa.cunha@veolia.com
www.veolia.com