TUM-Led Research Alliance Tackles Sustainable Water Management in Industry
Water is essential for a large number of industrial processes in sectors ranging from mechanical engineering and food production to the pharmaceutical industry. However, the treatment and purification of water is costly and energy-intensive. In addition, the combination of water inflows from different production processes creates complex mixtures with numerous contaminants that often require costly treatment and disposal.
The BayWater research alliance, funded by the Bavarian Research Foundation, plans to address these challenges. Over the next three years, a consortium of researchers at TUM, OTH Regensburg, and Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm (“the Ohm”) will work with 25 industrial partners to develop innovative treatment methods. These include modern membrane technologies, advanced oxidation technologies, precise sensor systems, and new approaches to process control to enable an efficient and sustainable water recycling in various industries.
Minister of state Dr. Florian Herrmann and Prof. Arndt Bode, the president of the Bavarian Research Foundation, presented the official funding notice to the BayWater consortium on October 1.
Efficient water use as a factor for a sustainable future
Their speeches stressed the importance of the project for sustainable industrial production and conserving water resources. Minister of state Dr. Florian Herrmann said: “Water is our most important raw material. Protecting our groundwater and preserving the very high quality of our drinking water is a communal task that concerns all of us. With the overall strategy “Bavaria’s Water Future 2050”, we are laying the foundation for ensuring Bavaria’s long-term water security. The BayWater research alliance will make an immensely valuable contribution by seeking innovative solutions for a resource-conserving water use. This will benefit all of us!”
Prof. Gerhard Kramer, Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at TUM, said: “With BayWater, we are laying the foundation for sustainable water management by reducing water consumption and the environmental impact with modern technologies. Close collaboration between industry and the world of research, represented by TUM, OTH and the Ohm, will yield solutions that are sustainable and will significantly reduce costs and energy use for companies.”
Prof. Arndt Bode, President of the Bavarian Research Foundation, added: “The project was fully convincing, both in the expert assessment and the presentations to our committees. It is one of many projects funded by the foundation where sustainability is at the top of the agenda. A major strength of the consortium is the active technology transfer through the realization of a number of demonstration facilities in close collaboration with many different industrial partners.”
Research alliance under the leadership of TUM
BayWater will be headed by Prof. Stephen Schrettl at the TUM School of Life Sciences. “We have set ourselves the goal of bringing about closed-circuit industrial water usage and developing approaches for an efficient and responsible handling of this valuable resource. The potential for considerable financial savings for companies is also reflected in the strong interest shown by our industrial partners,” says Prof. Schrettl. Prof. Rainer Engelbrecht of the Ohm, the deputy project spokesman, stressed the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration: “The partnership between research and the private sector is essential for developing advanced and sustainable strategies for industrial water management that are both economically and ecologically advantageous.”
Broad industrial application and sustainability
By involving 25 industry partners from various sectors, BayWater ensures that the research results are widely applicable and can be implemented effectively. Georg Friedrichowitz, industry spokesperson of the project and a representative of MKR-Metzger GmbH, highlights: “The results should not only be scientifically groundbreaking, but also provide concrete solutions to improve sustainability in industry.”