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CEQAP

CENTRE D’ENGINYERIA QUÍMICA AMBIENTAL I DEL PRODUCTE

CEQAP’s main expertise is in the treatment of waste waters and solid wastes improvement of industrial processes and

characterization of products and materials

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About us

- The Center for the Environmental and Product Chemical Engineering (CEQAP) is a research center of the University of Barcelona. The group consists of a researcher team from the Departament of Chemical Engineering of the Faculty of Chemistry, formed by 10 regular members and several co-workers, all them doctors in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering and bachelors of Chemistry.

- The CEQAP group takes part actively in R+D projects in collaboration with other universities, research centers and private enterprises. CEQAP has been also included within the Innovation Network (Xarxa IT) from the Business Innovation and Development Center (CIDEM) of the Industry Department. It has been also recognized as technological center within the Tecnocerca of the CIDEM.

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Expertise fields Biological waste water treatment (nitrification, denitrification, organic matter removal) by means of operation sequencies with SBR (Sequencing Batch Reactor) 

Oxidative waste water treatment (ozone, Fe/H2O2, ozone/UV, UV/H2O2, UV/Fe/H2O2, photocatalysis...) and combination with biological processes to the treatment of waste waters.

Use of membrane techniques (microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis) for the waste treatment

Anaerobic digestion for solid and liquid organic wastes with high organic load

Use of solar energy for the treatment of waste waters

Rheological properties study

Molecular-weight distributions in polymers study

Characterization of ceramic materials

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Expertise fields (2)

Characterization and application of surfactants

• Solubilization • Detergency• Emulsification• Nano-emulsions preparation

Nanoparticles preparation

• Polymeric nanoparticles• Nanocapsules• Ceramic nanoparticles

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Services to enterprises

Research, Development and Innovation projects (R+D+I)

Advice and development of processes for the treatment of industrial and domestic waste waters, for both organic and inorganic matter

Biodegradability improvement of industrial effluents and solid wastes (sludges and urban solid wastes)

Identification and study of organic micropollutants in solid wastes

Determination of flux properties and rheological parameters of every kind of material

Characterization of polymers 

Process design, improvement and optimization

Specific education activities

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EquipmentExperimental set up

21L pilot plant for ozonation processes and combinations (O3/H2O2/UV/Fe), with UV lamp

(=253.7 nm), photoreactor with black-light lamps (=300-420 nm) and ozonizer (màx. production 30g/h at O2 working flow rate 400 L/h )

Membrane pilot plant (ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis) and lab units

6 biological 3 L SBR reactors

2 sun simulators COFOMEGRA with Xe lamp (1500W )

3 photoreactors for UV/H2O2/Fe

systems with monochromatic lamps (=253.7 nm) and black-light lamps ( =300-420 nm)

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Equipament (2)

3 shear stress rheometer (Haake RS-150, RS-300 i RS-100)

Shear rate rheometer (Haake CV-20)

Capillary electrophoresis HP

Total organic carbon (TOC) analyzer Shimadzu

HPLC Liquid Chromatography Waters

2 gas chromatographs HP

Oxitop system (Velp Scientifica) for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) measurements 

COD digestors

Optical analyzer Turbiscan

Instrumental equipment:

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Developed projects (1)

Pollutant-destructive technologies based on chemical oxidation

The Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs), and also the UV-based AOPs may enhance biodegradability of wastewater effluents by making it possible to convert a non-biodegradable effluent (BOD/COD = 0) to a biodegradable one (BOD/COD > 0.4).

Taking into account the fact that chemical treatment is more expensive than a biological one, by using this technology it is possible to save chemicals.

The group has applied this technology to wastewaters containing surfactants, organochloride compounds and pestidides

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Developed projects(2)

Membrane Technologies for industrial waste water treatment

Nowadays, membrane technology feels a considerable expansion in detrimental of other conventional technologies as distillation, liquid extraction, liquid absorption, solid adsorption, etc.

The main economic advantage membrane technology comes from their simplicity. However, the processes have to be adapted at the specific conditions of the requests.

The group has developed particular solution for the phosphoric acid recuperation in rinse waters from anodizing plants, dealcoholisation of ethanol–water extracts (oils, aromas, etc.), colorant recuperation in rinse waters, etc.

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Location

CEQAPFaculty of ChemistryChemical Engineering DepartmentMartí i Franquès, 1, 6th floor08028 Barcelona

Tel. (34) 93 402 12 90Fax. (34) 93 402 12 91e-mail: ceqap@angel.qui.ub.eshttp://angel.qui.ub.es/ceqap