We are delighted to welcome Ms. Ann-Katrin Schnell to ALMAWATECH, a committed and technically skilled Master's student. She is currently completing her Master's degree in Environmental, Hygiene and Safety Engineering at the Technical University of Central Hesse in Giessen and will be working on a forward-looking topic in industrial water treatment as part of her thesis.

Topic of the master thesis: Optimization of the biofiltration process for the treatment of nitrogen- and COD-loaded vapour water using specific nutrient substrates from the ALMA AQUA product range

The efficient treatment and reuse of water in the food and beverage industry is a central concern of sustainable production processes. In her Master's thesis, Ann-Katrin is investigating the optimization and parameterization of the biofiltration process for the specific treatment of vapour water, particularly in the processing of whey permeates for reuse.

Vapour water is a by-product of thermal evaporation processes that is produced in large quantities in the food industry, particularly in dairies. This water can be treated by means of targeted biological post-treatment and made usable again for further processes.

Biofiltration as a key technology for water recycling

Biofiltration is an efficient and sustainable method for reducing residual organic contamination in industrial wastewater. It is based on the microbial activity of an immobilized biofilm, which specifically breaks down pollutants and prepares the water for subsequent treatment stages.

Advantages of biofiltration for in-house water recycling:

1. Reduction of organic loads:
   • Biofiltration systems reliably remove compounds such as COD, nitrogen, ammonium and BOD₅ that are present in vapor water.
2. Prevention of biofouling in downstream membrane systems:
   • The biodegradation of organic residues reduces the risk of deposits and fouling in reverse osmosis or nanofiltration systems.
3. Energy efficiency and low use of chemicals:
   • Compared to chemical processes or complex membrane processes, biofiltration is a cost-efficient and resource-saving method.
4. Improving water reuse:
   • Treated water can be fed back into process cycles or used for applications that do not come into contact with the product, such as cooling water or cleaning processes.