PFAS Harvester: A Technology for Destruction / Resource Recovery from PFAS
R&D Focus Areas:
Biomass and waste conversion
Lead Organisation:
The University of Newcastle
Partners:
EVOCRA Pty Ltd and the University of Queensland
Status:
Active
Start date:
October 2019
Completion date:
June 2025
Key contacts:
Project Leader: Laureate Professor Behdad Moghtaderi: behdad.moghtaderi@newcastle.edu.au
Funding:
Co-Funded by the Australian Research Council (through the Special Research Initiative on PFAS) and EVOCRA Pty Ltd
Project total cost:
AUD$1,070,000 (cash) comprising AUD$820,000 by ARC and AUD$250,000 by EVOCRA
Project summary description:
This project is concerned with the development and advancement of the PFAS (per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) Harvester: a novel poly-generation thermal process for combined destruction and resource recovery (including hydrogen production) from PFAS contaminated media.
The proposed research seeks to determine the fundamental science underpinning the creation of the PFAS Harvester and identify operating conditions necessary to support its commercial rollout.
The project will pay a special attention to field testing of a pilot-scale prototype of the technology using PFAS concentrates generated at an active remediation site. The project is expected to deliver the scientific building blocks necessary for development of the Harvester, representing a vital step towards an end-to-end PFAS remediation solution.
This project will directly contribute to the development and advancement of a robust, effective, and low-cost secondary treatment process for PFAS remediation with superior performance characteristics to conventional thermal based processes. Key technical outcomes include recommended set of variables for optimised operation of the proposed process and establishment of research expertise in developing PFAS remediation technologies in Australia.
Beside PFAS destruction, other environmental benefits include lower greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality due to reduced energy and emission footprints of the process over conventional thermal based processes.
The project has experienced some delays and, thus, the completion date has been extended by the Australian Research Council. The laboratory-scale activities validated the proposed concept. The containerised 500 kg/day pilot-plant has been completed and is currently undergoing commissioning trials. The pilot-scale experimental campaign will follow with a completion date of June 2025.
Related publications and key links:
Not applicable at this time.
Higher degree studies supported:
Two postdoctoral research fellows and one PhD student are supported by this project.
Reviewed: December 2024