People

The overall success of MEMENTO depends on the partner contributions, coordination of activities, and metrics for measuring progress and direction (Key Performance Indicators). Read more details below.

The main applicant, MEMENTO coordinator Claus Hélix-Nielsen is Professor and Head of the department, DTU Environment. He has 20 years of theoretical and experimental experience in membrane transport and biomimetics. DTU Environment contributes to MEMENTO with state-of-the-art facilities and experimental methods dedicated to environmental science and research and engineering within the areas of urban water, water resources, environmental chemistry and residual resource engineering. Claus Hélix-Nielsen and his group have established biomimetic science and technology as a new area at DTU Environment. Here the main focus is on theoretical (fluid dynamics modeling) and experimental membrane research where facilities for RED, PRO and FO short-term (< 4 weeks) membrane experiments are being established.

WEB: www.env.dtu.dk

Professor and WP2 leader Per Amstrup Pedersen from the section for Molecular Integrative Physiology at the Department of Biology contributes with knowledge and expertise in working on biomembranes, physical activity and adaptation, and various epithelia. The overall aim of the physiology section is to integrate the information from molecular level to complex organism level. The methods used include various heterologous expression systems in yeast, oocytes, cell lines, as well as preparations from amphibia, mice, rats and humans. Specifically the laboratory of Per Amstrup Pedersen contributes to MEMENTO with state-of-the-art molecular biology laboratory facilities and extensive experience in protein production and functional characterization – in particular the use of yeast based expression systems6. The 6 month in-kind time from Per Amstrup Pedersen and the 8 month in-kind contribution from laboratory technician David Sørensen will ensure a steady production of selected ion channels and will provide bench-work supervision of PhD3 and Postdoc2 both enrolled and work at the University of Copenhagen.

WEB: www1.bio.ku.dk/english/research/fys

Aquaporin A/S contributes with biomimetic aquaporin osmotic membranes designed to separate and purify water from all other compounds. The membranes are manufactured as flat sheet and hollow fibers. Plate-and-frame modules are currently available in units of up to 5 m2 and hollow fiber modules are available in units of 0.6m2. Production of membranes and modules for MEMENTO takes place at Aquaporin A/S’s pilot-production facilities coordinated by project managers Jörg Vogel and Sylvie Brakevelt and overseen by VP for R&D Oliver Geschke. Aquaporin will also contribute with their broad knowledge about stabilizing and producing proteins for large-scale applications as well as knowledge about the Asian Water markets via its subsidiary company Aquaporin Asia in Singapore.

WEB: www.aquaporin.dk

DHI is world leading in water expertise and DHI is, among other research activities within water technology, leading the Danish Innovation Consortium MemBio for development and demonstration of new Danish membrane bioreactor technology. Specifically DHI will contribute with industrial contacts, network, and experience through Head of Innovation Gert Holm Kristensen. He has extensive background in membrane bioreactors and is currently coordinating several large consortia related to water processing in collaboration with Danish municipal water treatment plants. Gert Holm Kristensen will spend 5 weeks per year in MEMENTO in-kind where he will coordinate the work in WP6 on feasibility tests of FO-SMBR.

Testing will be performed by Peter Vittrup Christensen for 10 months and he will contribute with expertise in online dielectric spectroscopy monitoring of aggregation/precipitation and analyze specific applications with regards to feasibility and cost-effectiveness for anaerobic FOSMBR technology and at which scale seen in relation to capital and operational expenses.

WEB: www.dhigroup.com

The Advanced Water Technology Center (AQWATEC) established in 2006 at CSM contributes with cutting-edge knowledge and unique experimental equipment for investigating membrane processes. Associate professor and AQWATEC director Tzahi Cath is a world-leading expert in FO and PRO processes11 and his involvement will help to ensure that MEMENTO’s focus and high level of ambition is maintained. Specifically he will contribute with supervision of WP5 and two undergraduate research assistants at CSM who will assist in long-term (> 6 months) testing primarily PRO with realistic wastewater streams (e.g. hypersaline oil drilling/fracking water27b) but also RED. CMS will also contribute to WP6 with knowledge and experimental Work on anaerobic FO-SMBR (> 6 months) for domestic wastewater treatment. Each assistant will deliver 1860 hours of work and this combined effort represents 27 person months ensuring sufficient time to provide solid performance of PRO and FO-SMBR analysis under different working conditions.

WEB: http://aqwatec.mines.edu

LWBMP (Laboratory of Water Biophysics and Membrane processes) will contribute with cutting-edge knowledge on membrane characterization and MBR technology28. The group has a unique profile connecting advanced electrokinetic membrane characterization with various industrial processes such as treatment of ‘difficult’ feed streams such as textile wastewater and landfill leachate. Building on LWBMPs strong EU Network MEMENTO will seek to engage in EU-funded R&D programs (e.g. EuroStars). Specifically Assistant professor and LWBMP deputy leader Irena Petrinic and PhD student Jasmina Korenak will contribute a total of 36 in-kind person months to MEMENTO. Irena Petrinic will head WP4 and contribute with streaming potential measurements of fouling related membrane Q-potentials using the SurPASS electrokinetic analyser. They will also contribute to WP6 with medium-term (up to 2-3 months) testing submerged FO membranes in a 30 liter membrane bioreactor setup at LWBMP for treatment of textile wastewater and landfill leachate. Finally LWBMP will evaluate new coagulants/flocculants such as polyelectrolytes and investigate electro-coagulation for feed pretreatment. This will be done using jar-tests as well as measuring adsorption–desorption isotherms on granulated activated carbon and powdered activated carbons.

WEB: www.um.si

Grundfos A/S will contribute with expertise in physicochemical properties of biological material such as sludge and biofilms e.g. in biofouling of membranes. They possess and master state of the art colloidal chemistry methods and the group will carry out detailed analysis of fouling.

Specifically Grundfos A/S will provide testing facilities for PRO and FO membranes as well as access to advanced microscopic techniques, such as AFM and SEM, to supplement macroscopic fouling analysis. Dr. Victor Yangali is experienced in fouling30b and FO27a and will coordinate the work which includes contribution from laboratory technician Kristina Schmidt Bejder who will provide testing and fouling analysis for a total of 644 hours of which 444 hours are in-kind.

Grundfos A/S will also contribute with world-class knowledge of pressure-exchangers and pumps relevant to membrane operations – in particular PRO.

WEB: www.grundfos.dk