ARTICLE
BioCord vs MBBR for lagoon upgrades—improvements without expansion
Adding moving bed treatment media to a wastewater lagoon might seem like an ideal option to expand capacity and improve performance, but often requires more space and capital cost for tanks, pipes, pumps and other equipment. As a result, moving bed bioreactors (MBBRs) can add significant capital and operating cost, complexity and operator responsibilities to what was once a simple treatment system.
BioCord® Reactors can achieve similar or better results without expanding the size and complexity of the lagoon operation. That’s because BioCord Reactors are designed to be installed directly into the treatment lagoon and can significantly increase treatment capacity, while also improving cold-weather ammonia removal and BOD removal. These performance enhancements can be achieved for a fraction of the cost of alternative treatment processes.
BioCord Reactors are modular frames that support densely arranged loops of polymer fibers. This design provides a massive, surface area that—like a condominium—rises up through the water column to provide an ideal home on which desirable microbes can grow. The modular reactors can be customized to accommodate virtually any treatment conditions and plant design.
Since BioCord is a fixed-film process and requires no mixing, the media carrier does not have to be contained and retained in a tank—a feature that dramatically reduces capital and installation costs. In most cases, a BioCord system can be installed and fully operational at a wastewater lagoon within just a day or two. The only additional infrastructure is a small shipping container to house low-energy compressors that provide air to the high-efficiency bubble diffuser system at the base of each BioCord reactor.
Once installed, the system is self-regulating and requires virtually no operator oversight since there are few components and mechanical parts to monitor. Operators continue to perform sampling tests as usual and periodically check the compressors and lines to ensure all is in good working order.
Project Profile
Improving the capacity and performance of wastewater treatment lagoons in Limoges, Ontario
Read about our BioCord project to improve the capacity and performance of wastewater treatment lagoons in Limoges, Ontario. The BioCord system, along with other upgrades, will enable the Limoges WWTF to improve cold-weather performance and alter its operation from intermittent to continuous discharge. These process changes will also provide a dramatic increase to its treatment capacity, boosting it from 1,500 m3/day to 3,500 m3/day.
