BIoGEORGE™ - BG4 Biofilm Growth Detector – Biofilm Control Monitoring

Under the right conditions, colonies of bacterial growth on wetted surfaces can form into biofilms over remarkably short periods of time.  Unchecked biofilm growth inhibits thermal efficiency and allows for the development of microbiologically influence corrosion (MIC). MIC is localized corrosion that develops on surfaces due to chemical and physical gradients formed where biofilms grow .

The BIoGEORGE BG4 biofilm growth detector allows operators to monitor biofilm growth in real-time, providing an early warning through an easy to install and manage phone/tablet App. Biofilm monitoring enables users to better understand the effectiveness of the chosen chemical biocide treatments. The BIoGEORGE BG4 Biofilm Growth Detector allows users to correlate biocide chemical use with biofilm growth decreases. Monitoring biofilm activity in this way helps avoid overdosing and underdosing biocide.

This biofilm activity monitoring system is a tool users can use to reduce, prevent, or eliminate biofilm growth threats by maximizing the effectiveness of biocide treatments. Optimized biocide treatment programs avoid excess biocide dosing, result in decreased downtime for equipment repair and lower the likelihood of needed equipment replacement.

The BG4 Online biofilm monitoring system includes:

• A Biofilm detection probe
• The BG4 controller
• Required data cables
• A power supply and an option for 6 months of uninterrupted operation on battery power.
• An analyzing software, BG Connect, and a phone/tablet App, BGMobile, that provide data sets, customizable graphs, and shareable reports to make understanding the chemical treatment program effectiveness easy.
• 4-20 mA output that can alert users of changes in system status (clean or alarmed states)
• Wireless communication through Bluetooth with the BGMobile App.

Monitor Biofilm Growth on Surfaces:

On-line methods for monitoring biofilm activity on metallic surfaces provide the system operator with the necessary information to control biofilms effectively and economically by initiating mitigating actions before significant damage occurs. Of equal importance, an on-line monitor allows optimization of the concentrations and addition frequencies of water treatment chemicals and adjustment of maintenance schedules, thus avoiding over-treatment of the water and reducing operating costs. The BIoGEORGE™ BG4 Biofilm Growth Detector System utilizes electrochemical methods to provide these on-line functions. A probe electrode stack, comprised of a series of stainless steel or titanium discs, is subjected to intermittent polarization to a pre-set DC potential. Biofilm activity on surfaces is detected by an increase in the applied electrical current required to achieve that potential. As a biofilm becomes established, the biofilm may also generate a current during times when the applied potential is off. The measured applied and generated electrical currents are proportional to biofilm activity.