The REMEB project makes great strides with the manufacturing of the first industrial-scale membranes

The REMEB project, which aims to develop a sustainable membrane bioreactor (MBR) from agricultural and industrial wastes for water reuse, has made great strides such as having the manufacturing of the first membranes on an industrial scale in a ceramic industry.

This project is based on achieving a sustainable and ecological membrane bioreactor, allowing the promotion of urban and industrial wastewater reuse. This MBR technology combines biological treatment with membrane processes. In the REMEB project flat sheet membranes are used instead of organic ones, commonly used for wastewater treatment. The advantage of the ceramic membranes is that they show better chemical, thermal and mechanical properties, allowing them to work under severe conditions and the application of aggressive cleaning procedures.

Funded by the European Commission (GA 641998), this project is led by the Spanish company Sociedad de Fomento Agrícola Castellonense, SA (FACSA) and has 11 partners from Spain, Italy, France, Norway, Cyprus, Turkey and Colombia, like Universitat Jaume I (ITC-UJI), Investigación y Proyectos Medio Ambiente, S.L. (IPROMA)- the University Institute of Ceramic Technology (IPROMA), the the Wastewater Management Entity of Murcia region (ESAMUR), the Valencia Region Council of Chambers of Commerce (CCCV), the Centro Ceramico di Bologna (CENTRO CERAMICO), Imeca Process (IMECA), Biowater Technology (BIOWATER), Atlantis Consulting Cyprus (ATLANTIS), Seramik Arastırma Merkezi AS (SAM) and the University Antonio Nariño (UAN).

The latest developments of the project have allowed the ceramic centres CENTRO CERAMICO, in Italy, and SAM in Turkey to be already replicating at a pilot scale the ceramic membranes with the support and guidance of ITC-UJI, in Spain, which besides is collaborating with the characterisation of the obtained membranes. For the replication of these membranes, wastes from Italy and Turkey are being used.

On the other hand, the MBR reactor and the cassette for the implementation of the membranes have already been designed by IMECA, FACSA and ESAMUR and they are being built on the premises of the former in southern France. While IPROMA has completed the design of the experimental plan to be followed in the validation of the plant, Valencia Region Council of Chambers has already launched the explanatory audiovisual material of the REMEB project. Likewise, BIOWATER has started working on the business plan, whereas ATLANTIS and UAN are having meetings with different stakeholders interested in the project.

Last 6^th and 7^th October 2016, the REMEB project consortium held their first annual meeting in Bologna. During the meeting, hosted by the Italian ceramic research centre CENTRO CERAMICO, representatives of all partner entities reported their progresses and made an assessment of the achieved outcomes throughout the first year of the project execution. The annual meeting concluded with the definition of next steps to be followed by the project partners in order to reach the established goals.