SK Ecoplant Purifies High-Concentration Wastewater with New Water Treatment Technology

Kim Byung-kwon, Head of the Eco Lab Center at SK Ecoplant (left), and Lee Byung-ho, CEO of Michigan Technology Co., Ltd. (right), are posing for a commemorative photo.

Signing of Joint Development Agreement for Electrochemical Oxidation Technology with Michigan Technology

Eco-friendly technology with no use of chemical agents and no generation of waste such as sludge

[Asia Economy Reporter Minyoung Kim] SK ecoplant announced on the 18th that it signed a joint development agreement for a smart electrochemical oxidation system for high-concentration wastewater treatment with Michigan Technology at the Gwanhun Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by Kim Byung-kwon, head of SK ecoplant’s Eco Lab Center, Lee Byung-ho, CEO of Michigan Technology, and other officials from both companies.

Michigan Technology is an environmental company specializing in wastewater treatment technology, recognized for its technological competitiveness based on over 20 years of accumulated related technology and know-how since its establishment in 2002.

Through this agreement, both companies will collaborate to develop and conduct field demonstrations of a new high-concentration wastewater treatment technology using Boron-doped Diamond (BDD) electrodes based on the electrochemical oxidation method.

Highly polluted wastewater such as industrial wastewater and landfill leachate is difficult to decompose and purify using biological methods that utilize microorganisms. Physical-chemical methods, which have been used for high-concentration wastewater treatment, involve heavy use of chemical agents or heating and evaporating wastewater using fossil fuels to collect only clean water. However, these methods have revealed problems such as high treatment costs and secondary pollution caused by large amounts of sludge generation.

SK ecoplant and Michigan Technology are developing a technology that decomposes pollutants electrochemically using electrodes. This is an advanced treatment solution that leaves only clean water. The Boron-doped Diamond electrodes used in this research have much higher purification efficiency and durability compared to other electrodes, earning them the title of third-generation electrodes.

By applying this technology, no chemical agents are used during wastewater treatment, and the generation of residue (waste) is minimal. The structure of the treatment facility is also simple, requiring fewer and smaller purification tanks, which improves land use efficiency for installation and operation.

Through this agreement, both companies plan to build the first-ever field-scale electrochemical oxidation facility using BDD electrodes in Korea. Short-term tests conducted at SK ecoplant’s landfill leachate treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant confirmed about an 80% reduction in operating costs.

Over the next year, the two companies will continue long-term continuous operation tests to evaluate the durability and efficiency of the electrodes. Michigan Technology will be responsible for the installation, operation, and efficiency testing of equipment applying electrochemical water treatment technology. SK ecoplant will oversee joint technology development and derive optimal operating conditions by analyzing test results. Additionally, they will develop unmanned processes integrating artificial intelligence and digital technologies. The new technology will be applied to sites generating high-concentration wastewater, including existing wastewater treatment facilities.

Kim Byung-kwon, head of SK ecoplant’s Eco Lab Center, said, "SK ecoplant’s technological innovation focuses not only on solving the vulnerabilities faced by environmental businesses but also on finding directions for sustainable development." He added, "We will continue efforts to discover innovative technologies and advance our environmental business."