On-site concentration of oxygen offers a robust and proven solution for Wastewater Treatment Plants.
 

Activated Sludge Processes

All wastewater treatment plants rely on the oxygen molecule for reduction of BOD/COD as well as the nitrification step in nutrient removal. Traditionally the source of oxygen is in the dilute form supplied by air diffusion systems which are prone to clogging and have low transfer efficiency. Oxygen is often a limiting factor in running systems at higher loading or meeting discharge permits. The application of pure oxygen in wastewater treatment is not new having been implemented at hundreds of plants for more than 40 years, however recent advancements have improved the shortcomings of this proven technology. One company that is using concentrated oxygen for wastewater treatment is Ovivo USA, LLC as part of their ECOBLOX™ systems.

ECOBLOX™ systems integrate VSA technology, by PCI, to reliably deliver low cost, concentrated oxygen to a novel side-stream injection system. This innovative combination of proven technologies allows the basins to be open to atmosphere as opposed to older, pure oxygen processes that relied on covered basins. Moreover, with precise control of delivered oxygen, ECOBLOX™ systems are capable of achieving simultaneous nitrification/denitrification (SNdN) in the same basin significantly simplifying process flowsheets while still achieving the most stringent nutrient limits. The single most substantial benefit of using direct injection of concentrated oxygen in lieu of diffused aeration is the ability to operate at very high mixed liquor suspended solids concentrations.

The advantages of this integrated approach to MBR design using concentrated oxygen are manifold including substantial reductions in; plant footprint, installed costs and operating costs. Probably as important as the economic benefits are ease of operation, overall system reliability and the inherent turndown capabilities. Unlike conventional MBR technologies that operate efficiently over a fairly narrow range of operating conditions, the ECOBLOX™ system, using VSA for oxygen makeup, has a virtually flat efficiency curve allowing for end users to easily predict and control actual energy bills where it matters most.

ECOBLOX™ is a trademark of Ovivo USA, LLC