Biological Process

Biological treatment remains the most efficient way to both break down dissolved organic compounds and remove nitrogen. We offer classical treatments, but implement special aeration systems. The formation of fine-pored bubbles is very efficient for normal wastewater. Coarse bubble systems show advantages for wastewater prone to sedimentation. Carriers can increase the active biomass per volume, carrier plugging can be overcome by selecting the most suitable type for this purpose and a special carrier washing device.
Biological treatment is the most economical way to treat wastewater streams with high organic loads. Here are "bugs in operation" (BIO) that break down dissolved organic compounds. Therefore, sufficient oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and trace compounds are required. At first glance, this seems like an easy task. However, the right process combination, pretreatment, aeration system, and sludge separation (clarification) must be selected. The usual design is denitrification followed by aerated nitrification with at least 100% reflux to denitrification and downstream clarification with sludge recirculation to denitrification. Finally, this must be determined according to water characteristics and discharge limits. Prior to treatment, organic and inorganic particles as well as grease and oil must be removed. Aeration systems range from extremely efficient but sensitive to extremely robust but less efficient. Sludge separation can be accomplished either by clarifiers or by membrane systems. Aerobic systems can achieve stringent discharge limits while producing high volumes of sludge. Anaerobic systems work well as pretreatment for concentrated streams and convert dissolved organic compounds into valuable biogas, but are quite sensitive.

Biologically Activated Filtration

Biologically activated filtration (BAF) is used to remove BOD and COD and reduce nitrogen in both wastewater and polluted surface water. The space requirement is more than 50% less compared to conventional activated sludge systems. The system is fully automatic in operation. For denitrification, a carbon source must be dosed while aeration is stopped.
Biologically activated filtration (BAF) uses sessile microorganisms to remove organic compounds (BOD, COD) and nitrogen from wastewater and polluted surface water. Clay-based beads allow various organisms to grow in an upstream reactor system. Since nutrients are normally present in the water, only air needs to be injected to provide oxygen. Even distribution of air and water is the key factor here. Nitrification is accompanied by the removal of carbon with less reaction time. The two processes can be implemented in a single reactor or split into two separate filter stages. A separate anoxic filter (without process aeration) is used for denitrification. As carbon source can be used either the wastewater stream or dosing of an external carbon source. Then a downstream BAF could be used for final purification to break down any remaining organic compounds. References include municipal wastewater treatment, downstream treatment, and pretreatment of highly loaded surface water.

Precipitation and Flocculation for Highly Polluted Industrial Wastewater

Production wastewater contains dissolved and settled pollutants which can be removed by flocculation and precipitation processes. Besides heavy metals, organic substances are also significantly reduced. Depending on the amount of water, batch or flow rates are adjusted.

High Performance Sedimentation for Sludge Separation

LHPS is a system designed to separate chemical mixing, coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, particle removal and sludge thickening. Each system is tailored to the needs of the task at hand. Depending on the dosage of chemicals used, reaction temperature and sludge formation, each system has its own DNA. All processes involving precipitation and flocculation can be implemented: Coagulation/flocculation, softening or decarbonisation for both water supply and wastewater treatment.

Membrane Process Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis is a standard process in the treatment of process water. The pretreated water is divided into a concentrate stream and a permeate stream. The salts and other dissolved substances to be removed from the water thus remain in the concentrate stream. For the dimensioning of your reverse osmosis plant we use the most modern calculation programs, which can exactly determine the required dimensioning on the basis of the existing water quality. The reverse osmosis plants designed and constructed by us offer permanent capacities between 5 and 3000 m³/h. Larger capacities are designed with multiple lines for efficiency and safety.

Ion Exchanger

Ion exchange columns are filled with resin materials with which dissolved ions can be replaced by other ions of the same charge, positive or negative. Ion exchange takes place in the process. ALMAWATECH ion exchangers are used as mobile tanks or plastic columns for small or medium water quantities or in steel pressure filters for large water quantities. The ions to be exchanged are bound in the ion exchange material, which releases an equivalent charge of bound ions on the other side. Depending on the type of application, a distinction is made between cation exchangers and anion exchangers. In cation exchangers, the active group is an anionic group. In cation exchangers, a distinction is made between strongly acidic and weakly acidic exchanger resins. In anion exchangers, there are strongly acidic or weakly acidic or strongly basic or weakly basic configurations. Further basic information on ion exchange technology can easily be found on the Internet. Depending on the application, ALMAWATECH tests the respective application in its own technical center, selects resins from well-known manufacturers and fills them into the customized ALMA ION systems. Depending on the size of the plant, loaded resins can be regenerated within the plant (in situ) or transferred to a regeneration plant via a spin-on filter. ALMAWATECH offers regeneration service resin exchange. The capacity ranges of ALMA ION plants go from 1 m³/h to 1000 m³/h. 

Biologically Activated Filtration

Biologically activated filtration (BAF) is used to remove BOD and COD and reduce nitrogen in both wastewater and polluted surface water. The space requirement is more than 50% less compared to conventional activated sludge systems. The system is fully automatic in operation. For denitrification, a carbon source must be dosed while aeration is stopped.

Biologically activated filtration (BAF) uses sessile microorganisms to remove organic compounds (BOD, COD) and nitrogen from wastewater and polluted surface water. Clay-based beads allow various organisms to grow in an upstream reactor system. Since nutrients are normally present in the water, only air needs to be injected to provide oxygen. Even distribution of air and water is the key factor here. Nitrification is accompanied by the removal of carbon with less reaction time. The two processes can be implemented in a single reactor or split into two separate filter stages. A separate anoxic filter (without process aeration) is used for denitrification. As carbon source can be used either the wastewater stream or dosing of an external carbon source. Then a downstream BAF could be used for final purification to break down any remaining organic compounds. Our expertise in this area is based on several references and a PhD thesis. References include municipal wastewater treatment, downstream treatment, and pretreatment of highly loaded surface water.

Oxidation

Wet chemical oxidation is the right approach when toxic or persistent organics need to be removed. For high volume flows and low concentrations, ozone is the right approach. Low volume flows between 2 and 10 m³/h and up to 50 g/l COD can be treated with a Fenton-based approach.

Biological processes can be limited in treatment performance if organic water compounds show toxic behavior, are extremely persistent or if high salt concentrations do not allow biodegradation. Then, wet chemical oxidation can transform these compounds and allow subsequent biological treatment, subsequent precipitation, or even complete oxidation of the compounds. Ozone is widely used in surface water treatment for drinking water and has recently been increasingly used for post-treatment of wastewater to remove trace organic compounds. It is the right choice for high volume flows at low concentration of organic compounds up to 50 mg/l DOC. Fenton-based oxidation is the perfect choice for low volume flows at high concentrations of organic compounds up to 50 g / l COD. Since Fenton-based processes are accompanied by iron precipitation, up to 75% of COD removal can be attributed to precipitation that could not be achieved in the original water. We also call this "activated flocculation".

Compact Wastewater Treatment Plant

Compact Container Solutions

The field of application of ALMAWATECH's compact wastewater treatment plants is the treatment of smaller, but highly loaded, industrial wastewater volumes, flocculation and filtration of small and medium wastewater volumes from production in various industries.  Our compact wastewater plants are available as container solutions and offer our customers far-reaching advantages.  They are cost-effective, space-saving and flexible.

Flotation Plants

As part of the wastewater treatment by means of chemicals, so-called flotation plants are used. ALMAWATECH builds both compact series up to a capacity of 20 m³/h in plastic composite construction and individually designed platform plants in stainless steel in the capacity range between 20 m³/h and 80 m³/h. The chemical-physical flocculation process and simultaneous introduction of propellant air into the floc structure are decisive for the function and performance of the flotation plants. Specific preliminary tests with the respective wastewater in relation to the later flotation plant and its dimensioning are essential. For this purpose ALMAWATECH has its own pilot plant for pilot tests. In this way the flocculation can be determined exactly and the flotation plants can be calibrated exactly.

ALMA NeoDAF Flotation Systems

The ALMAWATECH Group has spent two years researching and developing in a government-funded ZIM project. The result of the research work can be seen in the new ALMA NeoDAF product line. This is a new, highly advanced system with several integrated process stages. Neutralisation, precipitation, coagulation, and flocculation form the first chemical treatment stage. Here, contaminants are precipitated, coagulated, and converted into macroflocs. Everything is automated and controlled inline by the ALMAWATECH software. Air-saturated motive water from the newly developed Bubble Booster is mixed in to optimise calculation and flocculation. The subsequent flotation reactor separates flocs, particles and water with air micro-bubbles from the new Bubble Booster in the second process stage. Moreover, this can dispense with the frequently used sensitive 3-phase mixing pumps. The Bubble Booster uses conventional, efficient stainless steel centrifugal pumps. The pollutant carpet floating up due to the micro-bubbles is automatically removed on the surface. As a third stage, integrated post-filtration can be supplied for high inflow loads. A continuous static drum filter provides police filtration. The separation efficiency of the overall system is exceptional and the energy input is far below other processes, such as ultrafiltration. The compact, modular design of the ALMA NeoDAF also requires a comparatively small footprint.

Multistage Modular System Solutions

ALMAWATECH offers a sophisticated, modular, fully integrated container system. Here, compact ALMAWATECH plants can be completely installed and plants with larger process-engineering components and tanks are assembled modularly from several room cells and connected with modular, mostly bolted tanks. In this way, plants with a capacity of up to several 1.000 m³/day can be erected in the construction field without major concrete work. Only foundation plates or foundation strips for tanks and modules are required. The individual module cells are fully insulated and corrosion-protected and, depending on the configuration, heated, air-conditioned and ventilated. Depending on the hazard level of the wastewater or stored chemicals, the modules are equipped as catch basins. Roof greening or preparation for the installation of solar cells are possible. Combination methods are available with 2-5 levels.

Equipment for Research

For universities and research institutions we develop individually configured mobile equipment according to their specifications and in close coordination. Due to our own production workshop and our own control cabinet planning and control technology we are able to manufacture very flexible and integrated. We develop, plan and build from one source preferably in our container modules, but also on racks of your choice bring advantages for your university or institute.