About
Our BIOCLENS™ technology uses bacteria encapsulated in lenses as a biocatalyst to enhance and accelerate natural biological processes which break down organic matter. The lenses contain living bacteria which is immobilised in a stable, porous PVA gel matrix. As these are stirred in a reactor, water and dissolved impurities diffuse through the lenses and come in contact with the bacteria, causing targeted reactions to occur.
Targeted Reactions
Ammonia Removal
Ammonium (NH4+) in the wastewater permeates into the lens to allow the ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), embedded inside lens, convert the ammonium (NH4+) to nitrite (NO2–).
NH4+ + 1.5 O2 → NO2–+ 2H+ + H2O
Then the nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB), also embedded in the lens, then convert nitrite (NO2–) to nitrate (NO3–).
NO2–+ 0.5 O2 → NO3–
Nitrate Removal
Nitrate (NO3–) in the water permeates into the lens
Nitrate reducing bacteria embedded inside the lens convert the nitrate (NO3–) to nitrite (NO2–)
Nitrite (NO2–) is then converted to nitrogen gas (N2)
Both reactions require a carbon source as an electron donor
2NO3–+ 10e– +12H+ → N2 + 6H2O
Advantages
BIOCLENS™ provides the following advantages:
- Up to 16x more nitrification biomass and 3x more denitrification biomass than activated sludge
- Smaller site footprint than other biological treatment methods
- Ability to consistently reach extremely low <1ppm ammonia and nitrate levels
- Can treat water with very high concentrations of ammonia or nitrate
- Ability to handle fluctuations in influent concentrations, pH, and temperature with system stability
- Low energy demand and life-cycle costs
- Minimal organism loss and sludge production
- High surface area to volume ratio for higher diffusion rates than other bacteria encapsulation methods
- Protection from harsh water conditions, allowing treatment of saline water
Applications
| Typical Industries | BIOCLENS™ Can Remove |
|---|---|
| Municipal Reuse – Ammonia and nitrate polishing to allow reuse or discharge from water treatment plants | Nutrients – typically used to remove ammonia or nitrates |
| Surface Water Treatment & Groundwater Treatment – removal of ammonia and nitrates for potable or industrial water use | Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)/Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) – Removal extent dependent on the feed and required product water quality |
| Fisheries & Agriculture – nutrient removal to allow reuse or discharge of water | |
| Mining Water – removal of nutrients for water reuse or discharge | |
| Industrial Water – elimination of nutrients in contaminated water for reuse or discharge |
Case Studies
1. Nitrate Polishing – WWTP in Europe
A business park in Europe fluctuated between 3000 and 6400 employees, with unequal loading and varying nitrate concentration in the wastewater. The effluent from the plant required discharge into a stream which had a strict environmental discharge limit for nitrates of 5ppm. BIOCLENS™ technology was used to produce an effluent that was consistently under the discharge limit.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Tank volume | 24 m³ |
| Flowrate | 377 m³/d |
| Influent Nitrate Concentration | 33 mg/L |
| Effluent Nitrate Concentration | 5 mg/L |
| Nitrate in Influent | 0.5 kg/hr |
| Nitrate Removal Capacity | 0.4 kg/hr |
| Amount of denitrification biocatalyst | 1760 kg |
2. Treatment of Groundwater for Ammonia
A logistics park used Clean TeQ Water’s BIOCLENS™ technology to reduce the ammonia concentration in groundwater. The treatment target for ammonia was 1ppm, which was consistently achieved by the treatment plant.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Nitrification tank volume | 6 m³ |
| Flowrate | 30 m³/d |
| Influent Ammonia Concentration | 12 mg/L |
| Effluent Ammonia Concentration | ˂ 1 mg/L |
| Ammonia removal capacity | 13.8 g/hr |
| Amount of BIOCLENS™ | 275 kg |
| Water Temperature | 13 °C |
3. Treatment of Industrial Water for Volatile Organic Compounds
A 1.7 MLD BIOCLENS™ plant was installed at a solar panel producing plant in Europe. The plant operated under anoxic conditions to remove organic pollutants (ethanol, iso-propanol and other biodegradable chemicals) from industrial wastewater.
| Parameter | Volume |
|---|---|
| Tank volume | 70 m³ |
| Flowrate | 1680 m³/d |
| COD/VOC concentration in influent | 50/25 mg/L |
| COD/VOC concentration in effluent | 6/3 mg/L |
| COD removal capacity | 3.1 kg/hr |
| Amount of biocatalyst | 5500 kg |
| Air aeration | 60 m³/hr |
Find Out More
To see what else our BIOCLENS™ technology is capable of and how it can help your next water treatment project: