Impacto
Testing BlueBloqs at Aquafin, Flanders
El potencial de los sistemas circulares de agua en Bélgica.
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Cliente: Aquafin
Socios: Aquafin, Universidad Tecnológica de Delft
Año: 2019-2020 -
Collection: ±280 m² (roof)
Buffer: ±10 m³
BlueBiofilter: 9 m² -
Water use: Testing
Project phases:
Design
Product Delivery
Operation & Monitoring
FieldFactors, basado en la naturaleza
Combinamos el diseño, la ingeniería, la ciencia y la tecnología del agua para crear soluciones que hagan sostenible el ciclo urbano del agua.
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BlueBiofilter
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BlueWell
La solución en pocas palabras
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Por qué
Aquafin’s R&D campus in Aartselaar, Belgium, was selected to test nature-based solutions for stormwater management in the context of water quality challenges and climate adaptation. As part of the BlueBloqs Demonstration Project, funded by EIT Climate-KIC, the site provided a controlled environment to test water reuse technologies.
One specific concern in the region is the presence of emerging pollutants like PFAS, with nearby waste incineration possibly contributing to contamination. Aquafin partnered with FieldFactors and TU Delft to evaluate BlueBloqs as a decentralized treatment system capable of removing such substances, anticipating increasing regulatory scrutiny across Europe.
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Qué
A pilot BlueBloqs system was installed to collect and treat stormwater runoff from a lab building's roof. A 10 m³ underground buffer stored the water before it was treated through a 9 m² BlueBiofilter. The system's design allowed flexible testing of various pollution scenarios, first using synthetic stormwater to simulate worst-case urban runoff, then shifting to actual rooftop rainwater.
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Cómo
The water was monitored through real-time sensors and periodic lab analyses. TU Delft designed the synthetic stormwater to include common pollutants, nutrients, heavy metals and organics, ensuring consistent input conditions for performance comparison. Once baseline results were established, the system switched to actual rainwater for further validation.
"Los investigadores de las instalaciones de I+D de Aquafin están muy dedicados a encontrar soluciones innovadoras para mejorar la gestión del agua en Flandes. Nos han proporcionado información muy útil sobre el potencial de la solución BlueBloqs y sobre los aspectos en los que puede ayudar a resolver los principales problemas."
Long-term impact
Beyond its technical results, the pilot served as a proof of concept for regional implementation. The findings were used in a TU Delft study assessing the feasibility of BlueBloqs systems across Flanders. The project helped pave the way for new applications of circular water technologies in both urban and industrial settings, responding to growing needs for resilient and sustainable infrastructure.