Research and Development At Kremesti Environmental Consulting Ltd.
Introduction
Research and Development in the area of water treatment at KEC focuses on improving existing water and waste water treatment processes and looking at emerging environmental water contaminants and best practices/research on how to remove them. We are also interested in the water/power nexus and how we can transition to Net-Zero. Raising awareness about pollution and the circular economy is also one of our Sacred duties and passions.
R&D at KE Consulting Ltd
Kremesti Environmental Consulting Ltd is involved in various research projects in the field of water treatment. In the area of Reverse Osmosis pre-treatment optimization, chemical interventions for failing WWTW’s as well as the VDI concept of chemical free approach to water treatment for hot and cold closed water treatment systems for cooling and heating buildings as well as other topics. We are also interested in PFAS research. De-centralization is a recurrent theme in our methodology to tackle climate change and water scarcity. Sewage for example is best treated at the source. We are also interested in resource recycling such as phosphorus.
Reverse Osmosis Research
Many arid countries that border the sea or oceans drink from the sea using Seawater RO desalination. This technology has matured over the years and has become a Best Available Technology for water desalination. However, professional operations and maintenance seem to continue to be challenging for many operators and KEC is at the forefront of training clients in best practices. We have developed training courses for RO operators/designers and continue to gather data on failed RO systems and the root causes.
Biostable Water
Creating biostable water for RO to prevent biofouling is an intelligent approach to solve the Achilles Heel of RO systems, namely, biofouling. By removing N and/or P from water, Bacteria are deprived of the essential nutrients they need to grow. This approach minimizes the use of expensive CIP chemicals for regular removal of biofilm by cleaning the membranes with expensive CIP skids. There are simple pre-treatment steps that can create a Biostable feed water for RO systems. There are also technologies such as Direct Osmosis High Salinity and Pulse Flow RO that fight scale and biofilm using in-situ process modifications in the RO stage itself.
Optimising Existing WWTW’s
In another research topic, Kremesti Environmental Consulting has conducted successful site experiments on the lowering of ammonia, COD and P on failing WWTW’s using simple chemical interventions. The results speak for themselves. Did you know that 50% of your N and P load comes from urine? Why not eliminate this load by using flush-free urinals? It is even possible to harvest the N and P in the collected urine to make NPK – the fertilizer gold of farmers.
Chemical Free Approach to Water Treatment
Kremesti Environmental Consulting Ltd has experience with the Chemical Free approach to treating cooling and heating circuits for large buildings and manufacturing plants. For example, closed cooling circuits on the power stations of one of the largest power station EPC contractors in the world, are filled with demin water and dosed with a minimal dose of solid NaOH at 5 g/m3 which increases the pH and prevents corrosion. The lack of nutrients in the demin water prevents scale and biofouling. The problem of ingress of DO can be solved with a degasser or a minimal oxygen scavenger dosing.
PFAS
PFAS are forever chemicals that are in our water supplies of anthropomorphic origins. They are used in non-stick pan coatings as well as dirt/grease repellants and in Fire Fighting formulations. We have published a white paper on PFAS and continue to monitor best practices in the field as well as research. As the C-F bond is impossible for bacteria to break, basic chemistry comes into play.
Capturing CO2 Using the Power of Chemistry
We recently published several articles with innovative ideas about capturing CO2 from the air using the power of chemistry. We can also capture CO2 in situ in WWTW’s by dosing MgO. Our article on Ocean Iron Fertlization was published by CIWEM.
TroisEau
An innovative idea for generation of carbon negative sustainable Chlorine for water treatment. Click here.
Electro-Chemistry
Having worked in Electro-Coagulation, a promising technology for chemical free dosing of coagulants, I got fascinated by this branch of chemistry. I also worked on a power station in Algeria where the condenser was cooled by sea water and chlorine was generated electrolytically using a DeNora system. Finally, It is really very easy to generate H2 gas from seawater which is very conductive.
Circular Phosphorus Economy
World Phosphate rock reserves are limited and phosphorus is now classified as a critical element by the EU because without it, life is not possible. Phosphorus recovery is being mandated by many EU countries and the UK is catching up. Recovering phosphorus from sewage sludge can be done through struvite precipitation or through leaching the phosphate out from the incinerated sludge ash. There is some interesting chemistry there that can be optimized. Have a look at our Total Phosphorus Removal and Recovery page.
Only two waste water treatment works recover phosphorus from sewage in the UK compared to about 10 in Germany and 7 in the Netherlands. The UK is behind in this area and needs to mandate phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge which is already the law in countries like Switzerland and Germany.
Water Treatment for Developing Countries
We believe in the fundamental human right to clean water and sewerage. To this end we seek to share our knowledge and expertise with engineers from developing countries.
Conclusion
KEC Ltd researchers keep abreast the cutting edge of water treatment science. Other areas we work on are Softener-free water softening, Electrochemical waste water treatment as well as PFAS removal and destruction research. We are also interested in process intensification for waste water treatment works. MBR’s and technologies like OxyMem which aim to deliver DO to the biomass using low pressure air filled fibres are very interesting. We also challenge young minds to try to discover the Holy Grail of sewage treatment: trying to get DO (Dissolved Oxygen) to stay under water at concentrations higher than 10 mg/L!!!
For collaborating or discussing water treatment research further, please contact us at:
Biography of the Author:
Rami Elias Kremesti is a chartered water and wastewater treatment specialist with a background in chemistry. He has worked on a myriad of water treatment and power station projects internationally. He is a British Citizen based out of High Wycombe, UK. He has published three books on philosophical topics which he loves to ponder in his spare time. Rami is an avid guitar player and traveller.
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Rami Elias Kremesti Portrait