Industrial & Environmental Concepts, Inc. (IEC) products

In addition to supplying quality cover and liner products, IEC also specializes in the integration of its products into a variety of wastewater processes. In fact, a highly effective and popular wastewater treatment process was developed and based around our Insulated Modular Cover patents and design. This process was described by the US Environmental Protection Agency in their publication, “Principles of Design and Operations of Wastewater Treatment Pond Systems for Plant Operators, Engineers, and Managers”.

IEC`s Floating Covers are customized for each client’s lagoon or tank size and shape. A series of lateral floats provide pathways for gas to flow underneath to the perimeter collection pipe and on to a single collection point. The lateral floats keep the entire cover floating on the waters’ surface, and eliminate cover inflation, and exposure to wind damage. Floating wastewater covers that inflate (without lateral floats) expose the geomembrane cover to vibration and geomembrane fatigue from wind constantly blowing over the inflated cover. This significantly reduces the life span of the wastewater cover. Ballast weights on top of the floating cover channel rainwater and snow melt to sumps to remove all rainwater from the surface of the floating cover.

IEC`s patented Modular Cover System for ponds, tanks and lagoons is comprised of a series of individual casings, which are connected together to form a complete, floating cover system. Each individual casing consists of a panel of closed cell insulation encapsulated between 2 sheets of durable geomembrane. The result is a unique floating cover system that provides insulation values ranging from R-2 to R-30; and is engineered and manufactured to specific dimensions/basin requirements, including wastewater covers.

All of IEC cover products are custom designed for lagoon or tank applications as wastewater covers. IEC has designed, fabricated and installed cover systems on over fifty tanks worldwide. IEC’s floating cover is a cost-effective alternative to many aluminum or fiberglass dome applications and do not require venting (non-gas-collection applications), recirculation or explosion proof equipment. IEC covers adapt to varying water levers and in-basin equipment. They also install easily and quickly.

lEC provides a complete line of geo-membrane liner systems, designed specifically for a variety of industrial, chemical and petroleum applications. For smaller applications/areas, we ship pre-fabricated materials directly to your location to help expedite your installation. For larger and more complex projects, we provide a full crew and equipment, or just an installation supervisor to work with your staff and crew, if that’s your preference.

lEC works closely with engineers and contractors on the design, layout and installation of landfill caps and leachate liners. Our experienced crews have successfully installed geomembrane in some of the most challenging basins and shapes and in some of the harshest conditions around the world. Our fleet of trucks, trailers and equipment are designed to meet virtually any need. We test every weld and record the results for full accountability and quality assurance, which provide our customers with specific locations and corresponding test results.

Although odor control is not a specific environmental regulatory criterion, lEC provides two covers specifically for this purpose. Both cover types occupy 100 percent of the water surface, where air-to-water interface is eliminated, therefore significantly reducing odors. Both the cover, and biological layer that forms directly underneath, tend to keep sulfides in the water, where they belong. Our floating cover design does not require bio-gas handling or rainwater handling equipment. It is maintenance free and adapts to variable (fluctuating) water levels. Our complete line of gas collection covers are air-tight systems that channel all gasses to a bio-gas handling system located at the perimeter of the basin.

Traditional pond systems lose significant amounts of heat through the water surface, thus adversely impacting biological activity (autotrophic bacteria are affected first followed by heterotrophic bacteria population reduction). Maintaining higher water temperatures with the aid of our insulated cover, stabilizes year-round bacterial populations, resulting in more consistent and predictable treatment performance.  Facilities that rely upon anaerobic treatment have also found improvement in process performance by maintaining higher water temperatures through the deployment of our covers. IEC’s insulated covered systems have proven to be effective in heat retention applications year-round, even in areas of extreme seasonal climate variation. Independent EPA test data has illustrated the effectiveness of this simple and efficient design.

Evaporative water loss is a growing environmental problem throughout the world. IEC covers provide an effective solution to mitigate this problem by shielding the water surface from wind and sunlight. Unlike floating ball and hexagon shaped covers, IEC covers do not have hundreds or thousands of seams or interstitial spaces that rotate and move. Our floating cover products shade and insulate 100% of the water column from the sun, further lowering the temperature and susceptibility to evaporation. IEC covers adjust with water elevation fluctuations and unlike floating balls and hexagons, prevent sand and wind-blown debris from entering the basin.

IEC covers create a quiescent body of water, which promotes the settling of both organic and inorganic solids. IEC cover systems are a proven and highly effective solution for controlling algae. By creating a covered and quiescent water column, which promotes the settling of both organic and inorganic solids, our covers block penetrating sunlight, thus disrupting the photosynthetic cycle which promotes algae growth. If left unchecked, open water basins can create uncontrolled algae blooms that cause TSS excursions, odor issues, and other problems.