Background

Natural organic matter (NOM) in water has a strong negative effect on crystallization of calcium phosphates through inhibition of nucleation and crystal grows, complexation with calcium, and adsorption on the active centres of the crystals.

Technology Overview

OxyCrysP™ is potentially the first process on the market that allows phosphate recovery as high value calcium phosphates (CaP), thus expanding the market for recovered phosphate outside the current use as low solubility fertilizers.

Expected end product: A phosphate (P) recovery system integrated in treatment of industrial process water and in wastewater treatment plants.
Expected end user value: Removal of phosphorous from water sources and recovery as high value CaP compounds.

The OxyCrysP™ process () recovers Dicalcium Phosphate Dehydrate (DCPD) or Hydroxyapatite (HAp) from wastewater and industrial process water streams. The process comprises of the following steps:

Oxidizing organic matter in the water stream with cheap ozone (O₃) or hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)
Crystallizing calcium phosphate from the oxidized solution at the fixed Ca/P ratio and pH from 5.5. to 8.5.
Separation of the solid product and the wastewater.

Benefits

Up to 90% P-recovery
Production of high purity DCPD and/or HAp

Applications

Treatment of industrial process water
Wastewater treatment plants

Opportunity

Technology is ready for scale-up, and SDU are therefore seeking collaborators and partners to bring this technology for recovery of high purity phosphate into:

Treatment of industrial process water
Wastewater treatment plants

Recovery of High Purity Calcium Phosphate from Wastewater and Industrial Process Water

Patents

IP Status

Seeking