23th May, 2017.- The pilot plant that manages Acciona Agua, in virtue of the European Project Life Celsius, in the facilities of the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Archena (Murcia) received the follow-up visit, commissioned by the European Commission, to control the evolution of the project, once reached the midpoint of its development.
Fulfilling the programmed time schedule
At the end of the meeting, Maria del Mar Micó, Project Director and chemical engineer of ACCIONA Agua, explained to EFE that so far “all our processes are in accordance with the schedule that was foreseen at the beginning of the proposal”.
The meeting was attended by technical and financial representatives from Life Celsius partners, ACCIONA Agua and Agencia EFE, as well as an expert from NEEMO (the legal entity in charge of monitoring the progress of the projects funded under the European Union Life Program).
Participants examined the progress of the project through the analysis of various actions included in its Technical Work Plan, presentation of the project financial progress, review of technical and financial issues contained in the Medium Term Report -already submitted to the European authorities- and checking the documentation generated so far.
Performance examination
Representatives also had the opportunity to visit the pilot plant to examine the different components of the prototype, as well as its performance.
“So far, we have been able to set up our pilot plant and start the processes that take place in it, partial nitrification and anammox processes”, said the Project Director.
María del Mar continues explaining that “from now on, we will try to optimize these processes, obtain the best operating conditions to meet the project objectives, which are to reduce the energy consumption of wastewater treatment and improve the quality of effluents”.
Technology for warm climates
It is a technology suitable for warm climates, since neither of the two purification process phases requires input of heat from external sources or oxygen for the development of the bacteria and that translates into energy savings and the consequent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Micó explains that the goal is that, once demonstrated the viability of the system, it can be implemented on a real scale and “the interest of the Commission is precisely subsidizing projects that have viability with a view to a transfer of technology”.
María del Mar adds: “In fact, ACCIONA is very interested in having ready design guides to implement this type of systems in its real plants”.
The next Progress Report for the project is scheduled for December this year.
Traducción: Carmen Gilson