Enable sustainable water reuse by utilizing ettringite as a value-adding mineral addition in cementitious concrete

Research Project, 2019

Purpose and goal
This project intends to solve the bottleneck problem in the new technology for wastewater treatment by experimentally investigate the feasibilities for utilizing its by-product ettringite in cementitious concrete as a value-adding mineral addition. As a consequence, a new system for more effectively converting wastewaters to clean water with less or no secondary waste will be widely used in the world, promoting the achievement to Goal 6.3 as well as Goals 12.2, 12.4 and 12.5 in the UN Agenda 2030.

Expected results and effects
With positive outcomes of this project, the by-product ettringite from wastewater treatment will be utilized as value-adding mineral additions in cementitious concrete, resulting in less usage of Portland cement so as to lower down carbon footprint in concrete production. This more sustainable approach will surely promote the wide applications of the newly developed electrochemical technology for more effectively converting wastewaters to the clean one by removal of sulfate to such a low level that fulfills the water standard for modern society.

Planned approach and implementation
The project includes four workpackages covering laboratory investigations and sustainability analysis, and will be coordinated by academic partner Chalmers Uninversity of Technology as “problem solver” and carried out in close cooperation with two industrial partners, one from the wastewater treatment sector as “needs owner” or supplier of by-product and another from the construction sector as user of the by-product.