Project AMPHORE
Regional sewage sludge and ash management for phosphorus recycling in a metropolitan area
Duration: 07/2020 - 06/2026
Funding reference: 02WPR1543 A-K
The joint project is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the funding programme "Regional Phosphorus Recycling" (RePhoR). The funding measure "Regional Phosphorus Recycling (RePhoR)" is part of the BMBF framework programme "Research for Sustainable Development" (FONA3).
Project background and objectives
There is currently a lack of essential decision-making bases for the implementation of phosphorus recycling. This concerns the following issues:
- The technological maturity of the processes, resulting in high investment and planning risks for the potential operation of corresponding plants,
- design data and operating conditions for large-scale plants,
- reliable and comparable operating results for different qualities of raw materials,
- reliable characterisation and quantification of product and residual material flows and
- reliable information on cost structures (including investment and operating costs)
- Development of the market for phosphorus recyclates
The main objective of the implementation phase of the AMPHORE project is therefore the development of a basis for decision-making for a future-proof, economically and ecologically optimised design of sewage sludge utilisation with regional phosphorus recycling with exemplary demonstration of a possible process technology.
Large-scale phosphorus recovery
- Planning, construction and operation of a large-scale demonstration plant for phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge ashes using a wet-chemical process technology
- Process technology Process technology: wet-chemical, to be determined
- Location: Bottrop sewage treatment plant
- Capacity: approx. 1000 Mg sewage sludge ash/a
Quality of the phosphorus recyclates and by-products/residues
- Factors influencing the quality of the products produced and the associated costs of phosphorus recovery
- Stability and reproducibility of the achievable product qualities,
- Evaluation of the products based on test use by potential customers and field trials on the properties of the residual materials in accordance with the Landfill Ordinance
Economic efficiency analyses and balancing
- Analysing variants for different overall concepts, evaluation as part of a scenario process
- Life cycle assessment based on a material flow model
- Economic analyses of the costs and potential revenues of phosphorus recycling
Work package 1.1 comprises the tasks of internal and external communication, coordination and evaluation of all processes during the entire duration of the project.
Contact
Hanna Evers
Ruhrverband
Kronprinzenstraße 37
45128 Essen
hev@ruhrverband.de
The scientific project coordination complements the network coordination with regard to the explicitly scientific aspects of the AMPHORE project. Work interfaces are defined, methodological procedures are harmonised and the scientific exchange of all participants is supported.
Contact person
Dr David Montag
Institute for Urban Water Management at RWTH Aachen University (ISA)
Mies-van-der-Rohe-Straße 1
52074 Aachen
montag@isa.rwth-aachen.de
The results will be processed in the sense of a target group-specific knowledge transfer, including the centralised creation of practical guidelines, the integration of the results into new technical regulations, scientific publications and conference contributions as well as a project website.
Contact
Hanna Evers
Ruhrverband
Kronprinzenstraße 37
45128 Essen
hev@ruhrverband.de
Project participants
All associations, institutions and companies involved in AMPHORE
To create a common basis, a database is being set up for the various data and information on the sewage treatment plants, their sewage sludge, the incineration plants and their ashes. The other work packages can use the information from this centrally compiled data pool. An additional measurement programme at RWTH Aachen University supplements and consolidates the results of the associations' routine investigations as required.
Contact
Jennifer Hammerich
Ruhrverband
Kronprinzenstraße 37
45128 Essen
jhc@ruhrverband.de
Project participants
Emschergenossenschaft, Lippeverband, Wupperverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft, Emscher Wassertechnik GmbH, Institute for Urban Water Management at RWTH Aachen University (ISA)
The aim of sewage sludge and sewage sludge ash management is to develop a holistic strategy for implementing the Sewage Sludge Ordinance (AbfKlärV) for the project network. A material flow model will be created from the data collected and measured in work package 2.1. The composition of the sewage sludge and sewage sludge ashes will be examined and analysed with regard to their suitability for phosphorus recovery. For this purpose, the causes of certain ash properties and the effect on the recovery processes will be analysed.
Contact
Jan-Hendrik Ehm
Institute of Urban Water Management at RWTH Aachen University (ISA)
Mies-van-der-Rohe-Straße 1
52074 Aachen
ehm@isa.rwth-aachen.de
Project participants
Ruhrverband, Emschergenossenschaft, Lippeverband, Wupperverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft, Wupperverbandsgesellschaft für integrale Wasserwirtschaft mbH, PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH
Location options for future phosphorus recovery are being analysed. This involves clarifying how centralised or decentralised structures should be evaluated in terms of space, infrastructure, logistics and finances. In addition, the logistical and organisational consequences of the location options with regard to transport work, on-site processes (delivery, storage, etc.) and possible synergies (e.g. coupled transports) will also be considered.
Contact person
Dirk Bogaczyk
Emschergenossenschaft/Lippeverband
Kronprinzenstraße 24
45128 Essen
bogaczyk.dirk@eglv.de
Project participants
Ruhrverband, Wupperverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft, PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH
The aim of this work package is to evaluate the cooperation structure of the public stakeholders selected for the implementation phase of the AMPHORE project. From this, adjustments and alternatives for long-term implementation will be developed, including the aspects of "operation of sewage sludge incineration plants" and "marketing of phosphorus recyclate and by-products". The expansion of the consortium to include other plant-operating companies and the transferability to other regions will also be analysed. The work package will be processed taking into account the results for the organisation of joint sewage sludge-ash management.
Contact person
Friederike Deutzmann
Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft
Friedrich-Heinrich-Allee 64
47475 Kamp-Lintfort
deutzmann.f@lineg.de
Project participants
Ruhrverband, Emschergenossenschaft, Lippeverband, Wupperverband, PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH
The planning, construction and operation of a phosphorus recovery plant and the regional marketing of the recyclate and by-products affect a large number of legal areas. Particular reference should be made to planning and authorisation law, waste and chemicals law as well as any issues relating to association, procurement, state aid and antitrust law that may need to be taken into account. The respective legal departments of the parties involved in the project determine the framework conditions to be complied with and, if necessary, involve further external expertise in the respective areas. The aim is to work out the prerequisites and the aspects and models to be observed for transferability to other systems and case constellations.
Contact person
Kirsten Allmann
Wupperverband
Untere Lichtenplatzer Straße 100
42289 Wuppertal
all@wupperverband.de
Project participants
Ruhrverband, Emschergenossenschaft, Lippeverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft, PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH
Firstly, the structured selection process for one of the two technologies preselected in the concept phase is continued. To this end, requirements for the process and the products as well as the decision criteria for the comprehensive technical, economic and ecological assessment are specified. Once the technology has been selected, the planning and approval process for the realisation of the demonstration plant will be initiated and then continued by PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH as the company operating the plant.
Contact person
PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH
In der Welheimer Mark 190
46238 Bottrop
Dr Dennis Blöhse
Emschergenossenschaft/Lippeverband
Kronprinzenstraße 24
45128 Essen
dennis.bloehse@eglv.de
Project participants
Ruhrverband, Wupperverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft, Emscher Wassertechnik GmbH, Wupperverbandsgesellschaft für integrale Wasserwirtschaft mbH, Institut für Siedlungswasserwirtschaft der RWTH Aachen University (ISA), PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH
As a newly founded company of the participating water boards, PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH assumes the role of developer and the awarding of corresponding service packages and organises all the necessary steps to prepare for the demonstration operation of the plant. This includes all steps from the preparation of the site to the construction of a hall and the integration of the plant built by the phosphorus recycling technology provider.
Contact person
PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH
In der Welheimer Mark 190
46238 Bottrop
Dr Dennis Blöhse
Emschergenossenschaft/Lippeverband
Kronprinzenstraße 24
45128 Essen
dennis.bloehse@eglv.de
Project participants
Emscher Wassertechnik GmbH, Emschergenossenschaft, Lippeverband
The demonstration plant will be operated by PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH. After commissioning, there will be a stabilisation phase to establish continuous operation. This is followed by campaign operation with different ash qualities and the production of different product qualities. The aim of campaign operation is to compare the costs and benefits of different operating modes and to determine optimum operating conditions, which are verified in a continuous operation phase with regard to process stability.
Contact person
PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH
In der Welheimer Mark 190
46238 Bottrop
Dr Dennis Blöhse
Emschergenossenschaft/Lippeverband
Kronprinzenstraße 24
45128 Essen
dennis.bloehse@eglv.de
Project participants
Ruhrverband, Emschergenossenschaft, Lippeverband, Wupperverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft
The interactions between different ash qualities and the process components of the large-scale plant are analysed. The effects on operating resource requirements, energy requirements, overall process costs and the quality of the products and residual materials are analysed and balanced. Furthermore, the additional costs for phosphorus recovery from higher-loaded ashes will be compared with those of possible measures to improve the ash quality (work package 2.2).
Contact person
Dr David Montag
Institute for Urban Water Management at RWTH Aachen University (ISA)
Mies-van-der-Rohe-Straße 1
52074 Aachen
montag@isa.rwth-aachen.de
Project participants
Emscher Wassertechnik GmbH, Wupperverbandsgesellschaft für integrale Wasserwirtschaft mbH, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI), Institute for Energy and Environmental Research gGmbH (ifeu)
In work package 4.1, the requirements for the phosphorus recyclates for the demonstration operation are defined with intensive consideration of the subsequent utilisation of the recyclate. Specific concepts for the test phase of the phosphorus recyclates will be developed. Potential areas of application are the fertiliser and metal industries as well as organic farming. Products and by-products from the demonstration plant will be transferred to the industries that use them in order to determine their suitability in the respective field of application. Iteratively, the test results are translated into requirements for the recyclates in the company and product samples in defined qualities are requested for testing purposes.
Contact person
Dr Jutta Niederste-Hollenberg
Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI)
Breslauer Straße 48
76139 Karlsruhe
jutta.niederste-hollenberg@isi.fraunhofer.de
Project participants
Institute for Energy and Environmental Research gGmbH (ifeu)
In this work package, viable regional utilisation routes for all by-products and residual products from phosphorus recovery are developed in consultation with the relevant stakeholders. The quality and thus the utilisation or transport options for these products depend on many factors. In particular, the technologies used and the composition of the sewage sludge ash as a basic material have a decisive influence on the quantity and quality of the products. Depending on the technology used, the following material flows are assessed: Mineral raw material (low pH value, high gypsum content, metal residues); chlorides containing iron and/or aluminium; treated wastewater (increased temperature), metal concentrate, calcium hydroxide/calcium chloride.
Contact person
Dr Gerd Kolisch
Wupperverbandsgesellschaft für integrale Wasserwirtschaft mbH
Untere Lichtenplatzer Str. 100
42289 Wuppertal
kol@wupperverband.de
Project participants
Ruhrverband, Emschergenossenschaft, Lippeverband, Wupperverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft, PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI)
Against the background of disposal security, solutions are being developed for the event of a failure of the phosphorus recovery plant and for disposal bottlenecks of the depleted sewage sludge ash. A corresponding emergency and interim storage concept with suitable organisational and technical measures is being developed for this purpose.
Contact
Dirk Bogaczyk
Emschergenossenschaft/Lippeverband
Kronprinzenstraße 24
45128 Essen
bogaczyk.dirk@eglv.de
Project participants
Ruhrverband, Wupperverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft, PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH
The aim of work package 5.1 is to transparently present the uncertainties resulting from the high interdependency of the subtasks and the resulting late determinations by analysing the variants and identifying the probable scenarios and, based on this, to develop solutions that are as robust as possible. The basis for this is essentially determined in work packages 2 to 4. An analysis provides the preferred scenarios, which are to be analysed in greater depth in the implementation phase. By combining elements of the variant analysis with building blocks of a scenario process, the possible options of the AMPHORE concept are analysed, taking into account relevant influencing factors and environmental changes (e.g. price developments, structural changes in agriculture, social changes).
Contact person
Dr Jutta Niederste-Hollenberg
Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI)
Breslauer Straße 48
76139 Karlsruhe
jutta.niederste-hollenberg@isi.fraunhofer.de
Project participants
Ruhrverband, Emschergenossenschaft, Lippeverband, Wupperverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft, Emscher Wassertechnik GmbH, PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH, Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung gGmbH (ifeu)
Maximising the economic efficiency of the overall system is an essential prerequisite for the design of the future regional phosphorus recycling concept. To this end, the existing gaps in the cost data for the scale-up of the plant technology must be reliably closed. In addition to investment and operating costs for the plant technology, costs for organisation, logistics and residual material disposal are also included. This allows the variants and scenarios developed in the scenario process (work package 5.1) to be economically evaluated for an overall concept.
Contact
Peter Wulf
Emscher Wassertechnik GmbH
Brunnenstr. 37
45128 Essen
wulf@ewlw.de
Dr Tim Fuhrmann
Emscher Wassertechnik GmbH
Brunnenstr. 37
45128 Essen
fuhrmann@ewlw.de
Project participants
Ruhrverband, Emschergenossenschaft, Lippeverband, Wupperverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft, Wupperverbandsgesellschaft für integrale Wasserwirtschaft mbH, PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI), Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung gGmbH (ifeu)
The life cycle assessment impacts of different variants for phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge ash in the course of sewage sludge and ash management are evaluated in comparison to previous sewage sludge treatment. The system framework includes both the additional burdens and the associated benefits. The evaluation is to be differentiated according to individual processes and various operating resources in order to identify the key levers and provide feedback to the project participants on the ecological optimisation of the entire sewage sludge utilisation chain.
Contact
Joachim Reinhardt
Institute for Energy and Environmental Research gGmbH (ifeu)
Wilckensstraße 3
69120 Heidelberg
joachim.reinhardt@ifeu.de
Horst Fehrenbach
Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung gGmbH (ifeu)
Wilckensstraße 3
69120 Heidelberg
horst.fehrenbach@ifeu.de
Project participants
Ruhrverband, Emschergenossenschaft, Lippeverband, Wupperverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft, Wupperverbandsgesellschaft für integrale Wasserwirtschaft mbH, PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH
The process engineering plant components are pre-dimensioned for the preferred variants for the long-term scale-up or roll-out of the regional phosphorus recycling concept. Possible plant locations are presented, including the resulting interfaces and logistical aspects. The investments and operating costs required for upscaling are estimated (in addition to work package 5.2). Finally, an implementation schedule for the construction of the plants is outlined with regard to the future requirements of the Sewage Sludge Ordinance (AbfKlärV).
Contact
Peter Wulf
Emscher Wassertechnik GmbH
Brunnenstr. 37
45128 Essen
wulf@ewlw.de
Project participants
Ruhrverband, Emschergenossenschaft, Lippeverband, Wupperverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungs-Genossenschaft, Emscher Wassertechnik GmbH, PhosRec Phosphor-Recycling GmbH, Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung gGmbH (ifeu)
In work package 5.5, the results of work packages 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be reviewed with regard to their general validity and applicability in other regions as well as for utilisation, e.g. in regulations or as guidelines. In the course of the intended intensive transfer of results within the "Regional Phosphorus Recycling (RePhoR)" funding programme, an overarching publication of all RePhoR networks is also possible. In addition to the process engineering solution, higher-level complexes in particular will be further elaborated for the necessary generalisation of the results.
Contact person
Dr Jutta Niederste-Hollenberg
Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI)
Breslauer Straße 48
76139 Karlsruhe
jutta.niederste-hollenberg@isi.fraunhofer.de
Project participants
All associations, institutions and companies involved in AMPHORE
Latest news
02.05.2024 - Ceremonial inauguration of the demonstration plant in Bottrop
As part of the AMPHORE project, the demonstration plant for phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge ash using the PARFORCE® process was built on the site of the Emschergenossenschaft sewage treatment plant in Bottrop. It was officially opened on Thursday with the participation of State Secretary Judith Pirscher from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The two-year demonstration phase will begin shortly.
PhosRec Posphor-Recycling GmbH was founded by the water management associations Ruhrverband, Wupperverband, Linksniederrheinische Entwässerungsgenossenschaft (LINEG), Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband (EGLV) based in North Rhine-Westphalia for the purpose of jointly implementing the future mandatory phosphorus recovery. The company is the client and operator of the large-scale demonstration plant with an annual capacity of 1,000 tonnes of ash from sewage sludge incineration.
The official press release can be found here.
08.03.2024 - ESSENER TAGUNG visits Bottrop
On the last day of the 57th ESSENER TAGUNG, the participants of the excursion had the opportunity to visit the phosphorus recovery plant of PhosRec GmbH in beautiful weather. Even before the official inauguration and commissioning, the visitors were welcomed by employees from the AMPHORE project in Bottrop. After a short introductory talk, the visitors were taken on a joint tour of the plant in the multifunctional hall. The PARFORCE® process implemented here and the work planned as part of the project were presented to the visitors on the basis of diagrams and during a tour of the plant.
Following completion, the phosphorus recovery plant is now in the commissioning phase and is due to start the two-year trial phase in the middle of the year. Further information on the work on the phosphorus recovery plant can be found here.
14.06.2023 - Construction of the phosphorus recovery plant in Bottrop has started.
On their homepage the PhosRec GmbH about the construction progress.
30.06.2023 - Phosphorus recycling projects enter the next phase.
Click here for the latest FONA report on the RePhoR measure.
30.03.2023 - AMPHORE consortium receives approval and reaches important project milestone
Click here to the press release.
03.11.2022 - AMPHORE project on phosphorus recycling in NRW enters second project phase.
Click here to the press release.
01.03.2021 - Change in the network coordination
On 1 March 2021, there was a change in the AMPHORE network coordination and project management at Ruhrverband. Ms Hanna Evers has taken over these tasks from the previous network coordinator and project manager Dr Yvonne Schneider.
01.03.2021 - Digital second AMPHORE project meeting
At the beginning of March, around 35 participants from the funded and associated associations, institutions and companies, the Karlsruhe project management organisation and the TransPhoR transfer project met in the digital space to discuss the current work in the AMPHORE project.
23.03.2021 - AMPHORE enters the planning phase
Click here for the press release on the progress of the project.
05/06 November 2020 - RePhoR kick-off event
The two-day event marked the start of the BMBF funding programme and served to present RePhoR and the funded joint projects, including AMPHORE.
Further information on the kick-off event can be found here.
18.08.2020 - AMPHORE digital kick-off event
Around 30 participants from the group of funded and associated associations, institutions and companies, the Karlsruhe project management organisation and the TransPhoR transfer project took the opportunity to get to know each other in a video conference and to discuss the initial work in the AMPHORE project.
01.07.2020 - Start of the AMPHORE project
Click here for the press release on the project launch.