Fracking is a shorthand for hydraulic fracturing and involves pumping water containing several additives and proppants into to a deposit in such a way that the gas-containing rocks fracture and release the gas trapped within them. The gas produced by this means is lifted to the surface with the return flow, a mixture of the fracking fluid and underground water. This return flow is contaminated by a variety of substances and has been treated insufficiently so far.

We are participating in a cooperation project for the development of an energy-efficient process for treating this water, which, among other things, is highly saline, and the investigation of the potential for recovering valuable substances. We are supporting the research with specially developed pilot filter units.