LEVAPOR GmbH, Biofilm Technologies products

LEVAPOR-C is an innovative carrier material for the immobilization of microorganisms, consisting of a porous polymeric matrix with a specially activated surface.

Fixed film or attached growth processes have been utilized for biological wastewater treatment since late 1800s. In the attached growth process micro-organisms responsible for organics and nutrient removal from wastewater are allowed to grow on specific support medium which provides habitat/surface for microbial growth.

IFAS Process: A truly Hybrid process bringing benefits of both suspended and attached growth process together. Conventionally with free floating attached growth process, MBBR (Moving Bed Bio Reactor) configuration is a popular choice. In MBBR no sludge recycle is practiced and all removal is obtained via biomass attached on the media only. However, over the past few decades, IFAS process in which apart from free floating media, MLSS is also maintained in the suspended phase using RAS just like conventional activated sludge process. In fact IFAS process with textile sheets, cord media and other fixed in place media has been around the scene quite for a long time and has been successfully implemented for upgradation of existing overloaded activated sludge processes.

As MBBR/IFAS process involves attached growth microbial communities for the biochemical oxidation, the MBBR/IFAS media is the most crucial element of process which allows growth of micro organism in the form of biofilms on it. Over the years, the entire development of MBBR carriers/media has been focused on utilising various plastic materials like (PP,PVC,HDPE,LDPE, Recycled plastic) and having cylindrical shape and structure. The principle assumption in developing this type of carrier materials entirely rely on the hypothesis that more surface area meaning more biofilms and thus more removal rate can be obtained per m3 of MBBR carriers added to the MBBR tank. However, over the years, it has been observed that biofilms from the outer surface of the carriers are being sloughed off or scrapped off due to carrier collision and thus only the inner open surface area within the void is the only available surface area for colonization.

Levapor carriers are the first synthetically modified MBBR/IFAS carriers developed after considering the above properties of ideal carriers for MBBR/IFAS process requirement.