Implementation of a circular model at IQE to valorize the sodium sulfate effluent from precipitated silica, recovering anhydrous sulfate and reducing water and sodium chloride consumption in internal processes, is beneficiary of the 2024 Call for Grants to Promote the Circular Economy in Companies from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), financed by the European Union – NextGeneration EU.
The proposed project seeks to recover sodium sulfate using reverse osmosis, evaporation, and crystallization processes. The project is based on previous experiences from the European projects H2020 ZEROBRINE (R&D) and LIFE ZEROSILIBRINE_P (pre-industrial demonstration), where it has been demonstrated that it is feasible to recover this residue by piloting under pre-industrial conditions the key processes of reverse osmosis and crystallization.
The project pursues several key objectives:
- Valorization of anhydrous sodium sulfate: Its reuse in other industries such as detergents, paper, and glass, contributing to the conservation of natural resources and the promotion of the circular economy.
- Water reuse: Reducing costs and optimizing the use of water resources.
This integrated approach aims to close the loop in by-product recovery, fostering environmental and economic sustainability throughout IQE’s production processes.