“A new concept of WWTP: an innovative WWTP flowsheet to maximise energy and nutrients recovery”

The LIFE NECOVERY project has demonstrated that a new concept of wastewater treatment based on resources recovery may be feasible from a technical, economic and environmental point of view.

• Two different technologies have been evaluated at pilot-scale: carbon redirection or biosorption (A-stage) and nitrogen recovery through ion-exchange process with zeolites (B-stage). The combination of both technologies may represent a promising alternative to the conventional plants based on activated sludge processes with carbon and nitrogen removal.
• The LIFE NECOVERY treatment train is today more expensive than conventional treatments, mainly due to higher CAPEX and high OPEX of the nitrogen recovery step, especially zeolites and chemical consumption.
• Carbon redirection improves the overall energy balance of the WWTP.
• The LIFE NECOVERY WWTP presents a reduction around the 85% of the impact on climate change, compared to a conventional WWTP.