Towards a Cleaner Textile Industry: Using ASEC to Decrease the Water Footprint to Zero Liquid Discharge

Abstract

Textile manufacturing is the second most polluting industry. It involves a series of processes that require large amounts of water and generates highly polluting wastewater. Four liquid wastes collected at different steps from two different textile factories (synthetic and natural fibers) were treated using a new disruptive technology (Adiabatic Sonic Evaporation and Crystallization—ASEC). After the treatment of the contaminated fluids, the byproducts obtained (freshwater and crystallized solids 2 emissions, fulfilling the European Green Deal objectives such as a circular economy, the decarbonization of the textile industry, the protection of the biodiversity of river basins, and zero pollution.

Keywords

• crystallized solids
• adiabatic sonic evaporation and crystallization
• water treatment
• sustainable textile manufacture
• circular economy