PREWA
Sustainable Phosphorus Recovery from Waste through Integrated Environmental and Energy Management¶
Project Overview PREWA is an innovative research project focused on establishing a circular economy model by recovering phosphorus from waste materials. The project integrates advanced thermal treatments and environmental management strategies to produce high-value biocarbons and facilitate nutrient recovery, thereby reducing reliance on mineral phosphorus and promoting sustainable waste-to-energy pathways.
Project Status: Ongoing (50% Completed)
Timeline: 2024 – 2026
Core Objectives:
To develop and validate sustainable technologies for phosphorus recovery from diverse waste streams.
To utilize Microwave Heating (MW) and Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC) for the production of specialized biocarbons.
To evaluate the efficiency of recovered phosphorus as a secondary raw material in industrial clean production chains.
To minimize the environmental footprint of waste management through integrated energy recovery.
Project Scope & Methodology The project operates at TRL 4 (Technology Validated in Lab Environment), focusing on the optimization of laboratory-scale demonstrations before moving toward real-world applications. It employs a holistic approach by combining chemical analysis, thermal processing, and environmental impact assessments.
Expected Outputs & Impact
Circular Solutions: Development of a validated methodology for recovering phosphorus from high-ash municipal sewage sludge and other organic wastes.
Sustainable Products: Production of biocarbons that serve as effective reduction agents or soil enhancers.
Environmental Benchmarking: Comprehensive LCA reports providing a clear comparison between traditional waste disposal and the PREWA recovery model.
Policy Support: Scientific data to support regional and national waste management strategies and decarbonization targets.