Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is a research center that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
Functionalized chitosan as a biobased flocculant for the treatment of complex wastewater
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB have developed a biobased and functionalized flocculant to efficiently treat complex wastewaters. Furthermore, toxic phenols are removed from the water by the enzyme laccase in a chitosan matrix. Through flocculation, finest solid impurities are removed during wastewater purification and water treatment. Flocculants cause suspended […]
Pilot project RoKKa uses wastewater to produce fertiliser and raw materials
The Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection and the Energy Sector is funding the new research project RoKKa which is used to prove the viability of recovering raw materials from wastewater. This adds a crucial function to the scope of a conventional sewage treatment plant. Together with the operators of the sewage treatment plants in […]
Water disinfection with ozone
While chlorine and ultraviolet light are the standard means of disinfecting water, ozone is equally effective in killing germs. To date, ozone has only been used as an oxidation agent for treating water in large plants. Now, however, a project consortium from Schleswig-Holstein is developing a miniaturized ozone generator for use in smaller applications such […]
An integrated approach based on activated carbon removes trace substances from wastewater
Wastewater plants employ a variety of effective and established processes to treat sewage and wastewater. As yet, however, there is no ideal, uniformly recognized method for removing trace substances. Researchers from the Fraun-hofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT are seeking to change this. In a project known as ZeroTrace, they are pursuing […]
Sustainable solutions with South Africa in the fight against water scarcity
As a predominantly arid country, South Africa faces the enormous challenge of managing existing resources sustainably. In addition to the scarce water resources, South Africa also faces energy shortages within a system that is dominated by fossil fuel generation, as well as challenges with regard to food security. Stellenbosch University and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft have now […]
Fertilizer sourced from sewage sludge
Germany’s new Waste and Sewage Sludge Ordinance requires large sewage treatment plants to recover phosphates from sewage sludge or ashes as of 2032. Conventional recovery technologies are costly and chemical-laden. A new technology now offers a more affordable, pollution-free alternative. Fraunhofer researchers helped scale up the process. As gardening enthusiasts will attest, flowers, turnips, tomatoes […]
Sliding along on water
Machine bearings are usually lubricated with various oils. But today large quantities of these oils still end up in the environment. The Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM has developed a method which will in the future make it possible to lubricate slide bearings using water, a much more environmentally friendly approach. Bearings are […]