Water & Wastewater Asia March/April 2024

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Hydroleap containerised HL-ECM for treating construction wastewater
the development of carbon-neutral
wastewater treatment methods are
wastewater treatment processes, aligning becoming increasingly insufficient.*
industrial operations with both ESG goals There is a growing need for innovative
and evolving regulatory standards.
treatment technologies in the coming
decade, capable of removing toxins that
FROM THEN TO NOW, TRANSFORMING conventional methods cannot. These
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PRACTICES advancements should focus on sustainable
The prevailing chemical treatment
and low energy consuming water
processes in wastewater management treatments to minimise environmental
— such as chemical precipitation,
impact and resource consumption.
neutralisation, adsorption, disinfection, Promising developments in bioremediation
and ion exchange — are fundamentally technologies — including microbial fuel
about altering wastewater’s composition cells, bio electrochemical systems, nanobio-technological
processes, and natural
through external chemicals or temperature
adjustments. These processes are
systems like constructed wetlands, have
extensively employed in numerous sectors, demonstrated potential in lab and pilot
including F&B, cooling towers, mining, and studies.*
manufacturing. However, these traditional
methods rely heavily on chemical use. For Additionally, emerging integrated
instance, standard practices in industrial technologies that blend physical and
wastewater treatment — involving chemical biological methods show promise but
treatments and aeration — are not just still require enhancements in efficiency,
expensive but also environmentally harmful. cost-effectiveness, and energy utilisation
They produce toxic sludge detrimental to be broadly applicable. Electrochemical
to aquatic ecosystems, necessitating
technologies emerge as a significant
additional treatment. Likewise, cooling innovation in achieving carbon-neutral
towers in data centres and commercial wastewater treatment. This technology
buildings exert a significant environmental requires less energy for operation while
toll, consuming and discharging high-quality yielding superior-quality treated water. It
water, thereby exacerbating water and eliminates various contaminants, including
chemical footprint issues in addition to their total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical
energy footprint.
oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen
demand (COD), oil, grease, and heavy
Given the emerging challenges of
metals, while being energy-efficient. Its
population growth, rapid industrialisation, scalable and modular design fits well
and decreasing freshwater resources across diverse industrial scenarios, aligning
in the Asia-Pacific region, traditional
with sustainability and ESG objectives.
REDUCING CARBON FOOTPRINT IN
WASTEWATER TREATMENTS
Our commitment to research and
innovation at Hydroleap is driven by the
goal to uncover the most efficient and
least energy-intensive processes for
wastewater treatments. This mission has
led to the successful implementation of our
technologies, Electrocoagulation (HL-EC)
and Electrooxidation (HL-EO) in various
sectors. We found that electrochemical
processes are adept at removing complex
contaminants including colours, heavy
metals, and stubborn molecular compounds,
while simultaneously improving the
biodegradability of the wastewater. This
enhancement not only increases the
effectiveness of the treatment but also
reduces complications in subsequent
processing stages by diminishing fouling
and cutting down organic loads.
Another favourable feature of the
electrochemical approach is the integration
of automation. In our experience, this
system manages to minimise manual labour
by up to 95% and achieve substantial cost
savings of 30%. It ensures consistent,
optimal operation, reducing the risk of
human errors. In addition, our solutions
are modularised with the possibility to
adapt and scale across various industrial
contexts. With remarkable results in the
laboratory, we have collaborated with public
and private entities throughout Asia in the
quest to reduce the carbon footprint of the
wastewater industry. Our partners come
from industries that have been relying on
traditional methods to treat wastewater
such as F&B, mining, and manufacturing and
data centres.
The key question we often face has been
how to reduce fresh water usage, enhance
the quality of discharged water, and lower
energy consumption. Despite common
objectives, the complexity of wastewater
compositions in different sectors requires
tailored approaches. This diversity in
wastewater characteristics has been crucial
in learning and continuously advancing our
practices. For example, in water-intensive
food production, we would adopt a
Water & Wastewater Asia | March-April 2024 45