Water Treatment and Materials Separation

In the topic "Water Treatment and Materials Separation”, we are working on developing energy-efficient and sustainable processes for freshwater treatment and the recycling of industrial wastewater. Among other things, we are focusing on the development and testing of seawater and brackish water desalination plants powered by renewable energies. Due to the growing world population and the effects of climate change, it is already imperative to tap new resources such as seawater and saline groundwater as sources. Our range of services includes the site analysis and design of desalination plants, including solar energy supply, the development of new methods and processes, component development and the design, construction and monitoring of demonstration plants.

Another research focus is the extraction of raw materials from brines such as geothermal waters and seawater concentrates, which in future can contribute to the strategic securing of critical raw materials within Germany. Scientists at Fraunhofer ISE are developing process engineering systems with which, for example, lithium, which is usually present in very low concentrations in the brines, can be selectively extracted directly from the brines either by concentration and chemical precipitation or via innovative electrochemical processes.