Water and Waste

Our added value  

We investigate the development and optimization of advanced technologies for the treatment and recovery of wastewater compounds and organic waste, all from a circular economy vision, using laboratory and industrial scale experimentation as tools, as well as simulation through mathematical models.

Our results are applied in industrial sectors (agri-food, paper, oil & gas, pharmaceutical-sanitary) and in urban areas (wastewater and solid waste).

Our research lines  

We combine experimental work with simulation through mathematical models of the studied processes, offering extensive experience in aspects such as:

• Recovery of compounds in wastewater and waste. Recovery solutions for added value compounds (fatty acids, nutrients ...), CO2 capture by microalgae, etc.

• Treatment of emerging pollutants in water and waste. Development of technological solutions to measure and eliminate emerging compounds in water, sludge and waste via physical-chemical processes (filtration through membranes, catalytic ozonation, Fenton, UV) and biological (enzymatic techniques).

• Water network simulators in industry. Mathematical modeling and simulation for diagnosis and optimization of water circuits in the industry that addresses process water and waste water.

• Advanced biological wastewater treatment: DN, SBR, MBR, biofilm, PN / Anammox systems.

• Biological treatment of sewage sludge and urban solid waste: biomethanization (wet and dry), ATAD, composting.

• Development of comprehensive WWTP simulators and conducting consulting studies. Plant status diagnosis, design and operation, optimization, incorporation of controllers.

Projects  

• MODEL2BIO: Modelling tool for giving value to agri-food residual streams in bio-based industries (BBI).

• BERNESGA: Modelado matemático y simulación de la calidad del agua en un tramo del río Bernesga en León.

• DIGESTAIR: Development of an anaerobic digester prototype for aircraft use (CLEAN SKY 2).

• TRIHALOMETANOS: Control y eliminación de trihalometanos en las instalaciones de potabilización y en redes de distribución.

• CIRCRURAL 4.0: Conversión de las estaciones depuradoras de agua residual (EDAR) pequeñas y medianas en zonas rurales en instalaciones orientadas a la recuperación de recursos.

• Life MCUBO - Modelling, Measurement and Improvement of the water management environmental impact in the food industry (LIFE15 ENV/ES/000379; 2016-2019).

• LIFE VERTALIM: Integración segura de vertidos de alta carga orgánica y/o salina de pequeñas industrias alimentarias en sistemas de saneamiento urbano.

• LIFE-ANADRY: Digestión anaerobia seca como solución alternativa para la gestión y el tratamiento de lodo de EDAR

• OPTI-VFA: Sistema de monitorización y control de procesos para la producción eficiente de VFA y biogás en planta de digestión anaerobia.

• MODYREC: Modelado matemático y simulación de procesos físico-químicos para la recuperación de compuestos en plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales.

• RedNOVEDAR: the Sewage Treatment Plant of the XXI Century.

• PRODIGEST: Valorización de lodos pastero-papeleros y lodos de estaciones depuradoras de aguas residuales mediante la co-digestión con los propios lodos de EDAR.

• Water2020: CONCEIVING WASTEWATER TREATMENT IN 2020.