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A Belgian water utility is looking for partners for a project aiming at recovering heat from wastewater

Country of Origin: Belgium
Reference Number: TOBE20171010002
Publication Date: 12 October 2017

Summary

A Belgian water utility is looking for partners for a project aiming at demonstrating an innovative wastewater heat recovery system, in an urban context. For this purpose, the water utility seeks other water utilities and cities interested in demonstrating the wastewater heat recovery system in cities. Type of agreement: research or technical co-operation.

Description

The water utility has developed and patented a heat exchanger system that can be integrated in the sewage pipelines to use the calories from sewage waters so as to provide heating, cooling and hot water production to a nearby building. 

It has selected first urban site in a city council in the Brussels Capital Region to be used to demonstrate the system in the context of a building and sewage renovation in a dense area. It is also working with several cities councils as well as experts for installation of heat exchanger in sewages and connection to the existing heating and cooling system of buildings.

The water utility is already engaged in cooperation with a Dutch city with a similar configuration.

The water utility is looking for other partners for demonstration in 1 or 2 other urban areas of the energy/GHG emission savings, cost efficiency and replication potential of the system. Several options for own and EU funding are also under consideration notably under Interreg North West Europe and Horizon 2020.

Expression of interest as soon as possible and open until December 2017

Advantages and Innovations

Compared to other wastewater heat recovery systems, the heat exchanger developed by the water utility does not need any deviation of the sewage network to be implemented - thus reducing considerably the investment needed. It can be placed in the sewer during renovation works and acts as a “left in place” formwork that is usually placed in sewers for a similar cost. 

Together with a university, the water utility has analysed during one year the wastewater heat recovery system at a pilot scale. It reached the following conclusions: a low temperature variability of the wastewater, good resistance of the heat exchanger to extreme hydraulic conditions and the ability to heat and produce hot water even with a weak flow.

Stage Of Development

Field tested/evaluated

Stage Of Development Comment

The water utility has already implemented at a pilot scale the system for heat recovery from wastewater. It analysed its efficiency and several temperature and flow parameters over a year with a research partner. The water utility is now ready to scale it up at a larger scale and has already identified urban sites where a demonstration could take place.

Requested partner

The water utility seeks other water utilities together with a city authority interested in testing the wastewater heat recovery system in a public building.   
In cities, the water utility or regional authority must be able to identify and bring in a demonstration site as follow: a dense urban area where sewage renovations are planned and where nearby relevant buildings could be connected to the system.

Cooperation offer ist closed for requests