28 Dec 2016

The European Commission Funded, FP7 PCATDES Project has commenced Field Testing of its latest photocatalytic reactor in early December 2016. The Project’s objective is to research and create a solution with the eventual capability of providing an affordable, environmentally friendly and effective method of better cleaning up waste water produced by Food Industries.

The scaled up reactors were designed by Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid and contain a unique LED rig developed by the University of Bath along with scaffolds developed by NSTDA-MTEC, Thailand. The TiO2 scaffolds have been coated with catalysts locally – however, in the longer-term, other coatings, developed by other PCATDES Partners, might also be considered. The Reactors have been deployed in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam where PCATDES Partners have access to wastewater from local Palm Oil and Sea Food Industries.

Illustrating the tremendous collaboration that exists between European and ASEAN colleagues involved in PCATDES, a visiting team from Bath working closely with colleagues from Sirim Berhad, Malaysia; NSTDA-MTEC and VAST-ICT, Vietnam, worked around the clock to ensure that all 3 Reactors were assembled to plan; in working order and ready for Field Testing. Field Tests will run to 31 January 2017, the end date for the PCATDES Project.