BioGill Product Guide

BioGill capacityThe size of a standard BioGill treatment core for commercial purposes is 1150mm x 1150mm x 2300mm high. This treatment core can treat up to 20,000 litres of wastewater per day, depending on the influent composition and the level of treatment required.How do BioGills work?Wastewaters are transferred to the treatment tank. The gill recirculation pump then takes this wastewater to the top of the BioGill unit. The waste stream is then spread across the gill sets, via the water disperser. The nature of the gill sets allows for immediate dispersion throughout the system. Gravity moves the waste stream down through the gills and back into the treatment tank.Along the Nano-Ceramic Membranes™, highly active and intense biomass consumes the nutrients from the waste stream during each pass of the wastewater. The typical treatment cycle for the waste stream involves multiple passes of the liquid through the BioGills. Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) removal during a treatment cycle can be between 90 - 99% depending on the makeup of the waste stream at normal operating temperature(24 -28°C).PRODUCT GUIDEWhat makes up a BioGill unit?Each BioGill treatment unit consists of the following components; • Nano-Ceramic Membranes™ (patented) • Gill sets • Air spacers • Inbuilt disperser • Industrial strength, marine grade stainless steel framing • Plumbing connectionsSludge removalSludge is created through two forms in the BioGill system, namely dead biomass and non-consumed solid particles. Sludge in a BioGill system is minimised through cannibalisation during the treatment cycle. However, with some influent types, sludge build up will occur over time and needs to be managed via sludge pump removals.1Treatment cycle timeTreatment time depends on the waste production cycle, the nutrient loading of the waste stream, the Nano-Ceramic Membrane™ area in use and the discharge requirements. In standard systems a treatment cycle is generally run over 24 hours. This can be significantly increased or reduced as required by the project’s specifications.4Flow rateThe flow rate of the pump to recirculate the wastewater through the gill sets is determined by the treatment volume divided by the treatment cycle time multiplied by the predetermined treatment index.2Control & monitoringThe control and monitoring of each BioGill system depends on hydraulic flow rates and the required level of treatment. It may be as simple as a basic timer and float switch, through to a Process Logic Controller (PLC). Touch screen capability can be incorporated into the PLC with alarms sent as SMS messages to mobile/cell phones or via the internet. (PLCs are supplied separately).5Settling stage Settling is an important stage of the BioGill treatment cycle. At the end of the pumping recirculation stage, high levels of oxygen and low levels of nitrogen are contained within the treatment tank. Settling of suspended solids is achieved during this period. Following this stage, treated wastewater can be transferred for disposal or reuse.3Disinfection systemIf the discharge is to be reused and therefore involve human contact, the water will need to be passed through a disinfection stage. As BioGills are so effective at removing BOD and suspended solids, the disinfection stage is highly efficient and usually involves hypochlorite dosing or UV sterilisation.6How do you start a BioGill system?BioGill systems are self-optimising in that the microbes most suited to metabolising the waste stream become dominant within the BioGill core. In many instances these naturally occurring microbes are within the waste stream.However, for industrial waste streams and to ensure quick start up, systems need to be seeded with inoculates.Servicing requirementsIt is recommended that BioGill systems are serviced every six months. A service includes checking all the pumps and control systems, checking for fouling within the plumbing and dispersers and testing of both influent and discharge to ensure the system is meeting the operational requirements. Key systemdesign featuresBioGills house biomass cultures that effectively reduce carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and organic compounds. In particular, BioGills achieve high performance in the reduction of: • BOD from high nutrient load waste streams • FOGs (fats, oils and greases) • NitrogenBioGills can also treat waste streams with wide pH parameters of between 5 to 9.As BioGills are a liquid treatment system, the recommended particle size is 2mm or less in diameter. Therefore, pre-screening may be necessary on certain influent types to remove solid particles over this size. BioGills are resilient to reasonable amounts of detergents, soaps and cleaning products within the waste stream.IMPORTANT NOTE: As with all biological treatment systems the performance of BioGills is retarded by any sanitising components within the influent, such as biocides (including sulfur dioxide) and very high concentrates of disinfectant. In addition, BioGills do not remove non-organic materials including salts, minerals and heavy metals, although such compounds do not damage the treatment cores.Small amounts of petro-carbons, oils and grease can be effectively removed. Research is now underway to significantly improve the removal rate of petro-carbons from waste streams using BioGill technology.Operating environmentsThe ideal operating range for a BioGill system is between 15 - 37°C. Below 15°C the system begins to “slow-down”. The temperature within the BioGill unit will depend on both the ambient and influent temperature.BioGills can be effectively insulated from the outside environment. The internal temperature is somewhat self-regulated and depends on the nature of the influent.Patented Nano-Ceramic Membranes™ provide the ideal habitat for rapid biomass growth.What do BioGills treat?BioGills with active biomass growth treating industrial wastewater.Feature BenefitAbove groundAn above ground solution, so oxygen is freely available for the microbes to flourish. No need for expensive aeration.BioGills can be positioned above potential flood zonesLow operating costs Very low energy consumption with minimal maintenanceReliable and durableLong system life. BioGills operate under atmospheric pressure and are constructed from highly durable materialsCost effective to installCompared to existing technologies, BioGills are relatively inexpensiveProduces little or no sludge A BioGill system can be configured where most, if not all the sludge, is cannibalised. Mostly, the sludge produced is predominately carbohydrate and biodegradable, creating a highly effective fertiliserSilent with little or no odorPumps can be submerged to reduce noise. BioGills do not produce aerosols, so exclusion zone requirements are greatly reducedSelf-optimisingOlder biomass sloughs off the gills and is automatically replaced by healthy new biomass every few daysNo filtersBioGill treatment cores contain no filters which foul easily and are expensive to replaceNo chemicalsNo chemicals are required in most applications when treating to an irrigation or environmental discharge standardWarrantyBioGill provides a five year warranty on the Nano-Ceramic Membranes™ and a 12 month warranty on all components of the system.Pumps, controllers and tanks carry the manufacturer’s warranty.About UsBioGill was established to commercialise award-winning wastewater treatment technology, developed in the research laboratories of the Australian Federal Government Agency, ANSTO.Worldwide patents are now in place for both the gill technology and the wastewater treatment process.Like to know more?For further information, please contact us:E: info@biogill.com | PH: + 61 2 8513 7555biogill.com