InReUse

Treating industrial wastewater to reuse it in production is an efficient way to increase production capacity while reducing water body pollution. The partners of the InReUse project are demonstrating the feasibility of this approach in an industrial park in Vietnam by using an integrated membrane bioreactor and reverse osmosis system (MBR-RO for short) there, including concentrate management.

The concept of combining membrane processes with biological wastewater treatment in a membrane bioreactor is already used in many applications that require high efficiency. Examples of applications can be found where little space is available, such as on ships or in isolated complexes like mountain huts. The high packing density also offers a decisive advantage in the project, as the space in the existing industrial parks is expensive. By using this technology, on the one hand more water is available and on the other hand the discharge of polluted industrial water into water bodies is reduced through innovative reuse concepts. Given Vietnam's rapidly growing industry, the importance of implementing sustainable solutions increases with each new production facility.

The Technical University of Berlin and the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology have identified the challenges in selected industrial parks in Vietnam and developed concepts to overcome them within the framework of the ERWIN project. The results of this project enable the partners to demonstrate a solution based on the expertise of MARTIN System. MARTIN Systems has developed the modular membrane bioreactor technology for various applications to market maturity. By combining the expertise of all partners, it is possible to demonstrate a sustainable technology in the challenging environment of a mixed-production industrial park. The objectives of the project are:

• identify the ideal location and best application of the MBR-RO system in the industrial park,
• to develop integrated solutions, which will be discussed and optimised with the local stakeholders
• to adapt the technology to the requirements and to create a sustainable knowledge transfer system around the demonstration to ensure the long-term operation of the plant. Training the staff as well as establishing the solution through early stakeholder integration in the industrial parks and ministries is crucial.
• Identify sustainable options for the management of reverse osmosis concentrates to avoid the discharge of highly concentrated wastewater streams into the environment or municipal wastewater treatment plants and minimise the associated input of salts, organics and other substances.

In addition, an information package for stakeholders and training materials for operators are being developed. This facilitates the operation and dissemination of the technology in line with the sustainable development goals.