Dr. Daniel Dias, Researcher, New University of Lisbon – Dr. João Ribeiro, Researcher, New University of Lisbon

1. Scale-up of low-carbon footprint material
recovery techniques in existing wastewater
treatment plants – General overview of the
H2020 project (2016 – 2020)
PHA production
Biogas
Cellulose
Sludge treatment
Nutrients removal
Struvite
Anaerobic digestion
Biomaterial
Ion Exchange
Low-carbon footprint
Bioprocess
Physical and chemical process
Daniel Dias • João Ribeiro
Nitrification Denitrification
Filtration
GHG
Membrane

2. 2
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
7+2 pilot systems optimised for more than 2 years in real environment in 5 municipal water
treatment plants, including also 2 post-processing facilities;
Aim of optimising wastewater treatment, resource recovery, energy-efficiency and reduction of
greenhouse emissions;
Recover biopolymers, cellulose, fertilisers and intermediates and processed up to the final end-
products;
26 partners.
Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica (iBET)  Application and validation of the
simulation environment for SMART processes integration.
OBJECTIVE:
SMART-Plant will scale-up in real environment eco-innovative and energy-efficient solutions to
renovate existing wastewater treatment plants and close the circular value chain by applying low-
carbon techniques to recover materials that are otherwise lost.
.
What is SMART-Plant?

3. 3
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
Cellulose
Struvite
Calcium-P
P-Biofertilizer
Bio-
polymers
Biogas
and
Biomass
Fuel
Energy
and
Carbon
Efficiency
Water re-use and
fertigation
Scale-up of low-carbon
footprint MAterial
Recovery Techniques in
existing wastewater
treatment PLANTs
Consumer/IndustrialProducts

4. 4
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
Who is SMART-Plant?
• Member of the ICT4WATER cluster;
• Member of the European Sustainable
Phosphorus Platform

5. 5
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
Impact so far...
• SMART-PLANT (HORIZON 2020 PROGRAMME)” won
the best Research Project Award at the IWATER
Awards 2018 in Barcelona (SOCAMEX).
• EYDAP won a golden award at the 2018
Environmental Awards for the SMART-Plant Project
• Aquatech Innovation Award 2017 - Overall winner
and category: wastewater treatment - by Cellvation
cellulose recovery, CirTec, for the SMART-Plant
project

6. 6
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
WWTP/WRRF

7. 6
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
WWTP/WRRF
SMARTech1 - Geestmerambacht WWTP (NL)
SMARTech2b and Downstream
SMARTech B - Manresa WWTP (Spain)
SMARTech2a –
Karmiel WWTP (IL)
SMARTech3 – WWTP at Cranfield University (UK)
SMARTech 4b - Psyttalia WWTP (Greece)
SMARTech 4a and SMARTech 5
Carbonera WWTP (Italy)

8. 7
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
SMART-Plant
AchievementsSMARTech
n.
Integrated
municipal WWTP
Key enabling process(es) SMART-product(s)
1 Geestmerambacht
(Netherlands)
Upstream dynamic fine-
screen and post-processing of
cellulosic sludge
Cellulosic sludge,
refined clean
cellulose
2a Karmiel (Israel) Mainstream polyurethane-
based anaerobic biofilter
Biogas, Energy-
efficient water reuse
2b Manresa (Spain) Mainstream SCEPPHAR Struvite, PHA
3 Cranfield (UK) Mainstream tertiary hybrid
ion exchange
Nutrients
4a Carbonera (Italy) Sidestream SCENA P-rich sludge, VFA
4b Psyttalia (Greece) Sidestream Thermal
hydrolysis – SCENA
P-rich sludge
5 Carbonera (Italy) Sidestream SCEPPHAR PHA, struvite, VFA
MainstreamSidestream
Demos commissioned:
June 2017 – Long-term
validation: May 2019
Environmental Technology
Verification (ETV):
tool to help innovative
environmental technologies
reach the market.

9. 8
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
SMART-Plant
Approach
Influent
Effluent
Biogas
Dehydrated
sludge Water line
Sludge line
Conventional Primary
Sedimentation replaced by
Primary Upstream SMARTech1
Conventional Activated Sludge
replaced by Secondary Mainstream
SMARTechs 2a and/or 2b
Conventional or Enhanced
Anaerobic Digestion
integrated by Sidestream
SMARTechs 4a,4b or 5
Conventional Secondary
Effluent refined by Tertiary
Mainstream SMARTech3

10. SMARTech 1 – Upstream dynamic fine-screen and post-processing of cellulosic sludge
Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) – Geestmerambacht, Netherlands
Aim
Cellulose recovery from
wastewater for cellulosic sludge
and refined clean cellulose
(e.g building material additive,
asphalt material for cycle
lanes)
Wastewater to cellulosic solid.

11. Aim
Reduced loads of COD and
TSS on the biological
treatment system  Energy-
efficient water reuse;
Biogas production.
Polyfoam filling
SMARTech 2a – Mainstream polyurethane-based anaerobic biofilter with biogas
recovery WWTP – Karmiel, Israel

12. SMARTech 2b – Secondary mainstream S.C.E.P.P.H.A.R. WWTP – Manresa, Spain
Aim
Phosphorus recovery (struvite) and PHA
sludge production from wastewater.
SCEPPHAR pilot plant in Manresa WWTP.
SMARTech 3 scheme.

13. SMARTech 3 – Mainstream tertiary nutrient recovery by mesolite and nano ion exchange
WWTP – Cranfield, England
a) b)
HAIX LanXess
Formed
commercialised
Mesolite
Aim
Nutrients adsorption
and recovery for
agriculture fertilisers

14. SMARTech 4a – Sidestream SCENA WWTP – Carbonera, Italy
DYNAMIC THICKENER
FERMENTATION
SCREW-PRESS
S/L SEPARATION
VFAs STORAGE
SUPERNATANTS STORAGE
VIA-NITRITE scSBR FERMENTER
scSBR
Aim
P-rich sludge and VFA
recovery/production
Aim
Via nitrite, treat
anaerobic supernatant
rich in ammonium

15. SMARTech 4b pilot plant.
SMARTech 4b –Sidestream Thermal hydrolysis – S.C.E.N.A WWTP – Psyttalia, Greece
Psyttalia island.
Aim
Via nitrite, treat anaerobic
supernatant rich in ammonium 
P-rich sludge recovery/production
SMARTech 4b scheme.

16. SMARTech 5 – Sidestream SCEPPHAR WWTP – Carbonera, Italy
Aim
Phosphorus recovery as struvite;
PHA production via feast and
famine regime; VFAs production.
Nitritation
Selection
Accumulation
Crystalliser for
struvite recovery
Biomass during PHA
accumulation
Selected PHA
biomass
Recovered Struvite
(purity and agronomic
properties under assessment

17. 16
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
Current Achievements of the Project: Energy and Carbon-Efficient Valuable
Materials Recovery in SMART-Plant demos
350 – 400 kg Cellulose a week;
1.0 –1.2 kg PHA per day;
> 0.25 – 0.30 kg Struvite per day;
2-3 m3 of biogas per day;
60% of P recovered as CaPO4 from the
tertiary treatment;
15-20 kg of P-rich sludge, 60-65
gP/kgTS
> 10 kg BioFertilizers per day;
1: PHA rich biomass, 2: commercial HDPE
pellets, 3: commercial
PHA powder, 4: commercial PHA pellets.
• 10-30% Energy Efficiency;
• 10-50% Carbon
Efficiency.
1 2
3 4

18. Downstream A – Post-processing of recovered cellulose and PHA for bio-composites
production – London, England.
Semi-pilot extruder
Water cooling
Aim
Incorporate and valorise
the recovered cellulose
and PHA for post-
processing application
(biocomposites  Sludge
Plastic Composite-SPC) –
Formulation of recovered
cellulosic and PHA
materials + extrusion.

19. Downstream B – Post-processing of cellulosic and P-rich sludges – Manresa WWTP, Spain
Biodrying
Technology
Valorization of high-content cellulosic
sludge (SMARTech 1)
Production of biomass fuel and possible
phosphorous recovery from ashes.
Composting
Technology
Valorization of P-rich sludge (SMARTech 4a)
and nutrient rich mesolites (SMARTech 3)
Production of high quality fertilizers.
1. Composting reactor
(100 L).
2. Biodrying reactor
(100 L).
3. Scale.
4. Air compressor.
5. Monitoring and
control system.
6. Energy meter.
7. Pilot Plant Mobile
structure.
8. Mixer.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Aim
Valorisation of sludge
and other sub-products
generated in mainstream
wastewater plants of the
project, developing
optimised technologies
for composting and
biodrying of low porosity
materials.
Biodrying
Technology
Composting
Technology
Mixture of P-rich
sludge & Bulking Agent

20. 19
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
ONGOING STEPS: closed value chain with validated techs and marketable
industrial/consumer products
Industrial production of lignocellulosic
PHA biocomposites
Post-processing of recovered
cellulose in mortars and concrete
Pilot-scale production of biocomposites
from raw PHA-rich biomass
Production and testing of phosphorus
bio-fertilizers and biomass fuels

21. 20
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
ONGOING STEPS: Real-Time FootPrinting and DSS

22. 21
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
SMART-Plant benefits
Category Main Benefits
Technical
 Validate and demonstrate that technologies are working well at real
conditions and at demo scale in long-term;
 Technology Verification;
 Solving real operating problems;
Environmental
 Low carbon footprint through online recording of energy and GHG
emissions;
Social
 Social acceptance of derived materials;
 Improved water utility reputation through the use of advance
technologies and ‘green and circular feedstock’;
Financial
 Cost-efficiency;
 Impact on water tariff;
 Circular inter-sectorial value chain with chemical, agricultural and
construction sectors.

23. 22
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 690323
Market
ready?
So far in Italy: > 4 WWTPs
are installing SMARTechs in
2018-2019.

24. Scale-up of low-carbon footprint MAterial
Recovery Techniques in existing wastewater
treatment PLANTs
PHA production
Biogas
Cellulose
Sludge treatment
Nutrients removal
Struvite
Anaerobic digestion
Biomaterial
Ion Exchange
Low-carbon footprint
Bioprocess
Physical and chemical process
Nitrification Denitrification
Filtration
GHG
Membrane
http://www.smart-plant.eu
https://www.facebook.com/smartplant2020/
https://twitter.com/smart_plant_eu
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPU0n-w_izmYWX854jULQ7A -
Channel name: Horizon2020 Innovation Action SMART-Plant