Active biofilter installed. Photo from Envirogen.com
After touring the Pearland, TX new wastewater treatment facility this week, I saw many newer treatment technologies in practice. The most amazing thing was the facility is very close to neighbors with no odors. Even standing near the headworks, there was no apprecialble odor. Best yet, they did not have any perfume or odor adsorbing misting. What was being used were two biological filters. One treated the lift station and a second served the headworks.
Biofilters are an efficient way to treat H2S and volatile odorous organic compounds. Unlike chemical scrubbing or odor neutralizing, a biofilter maintains a biofilm on a fixed film media. The biofilm contains a mix of sulfur oxidizing cultures - often Thiobacillus, Paracoccus, Thiosphaera, along with organic acid cultures including Pseudomonas, Paracoccus, Thiosphaera (Note how Paracoccus and Thiosphaera are in both SOX & Organic Oxidizers). In an active biofilter, the biofilm is maintained by a spray system that adds nutrients and pH adjustment to keep the biofilm at maximum activity. The biofilters are sized based on expected loadings and air volumes to be treated. If sized correctly, they are very efficient and almost appear as a magic box.
Biofilters are an efficient way to treat H2S and volatile odorous organic compounds. Unlike chemical scrubbing or odor neutralizing, a biofilter maintains a biofilm on a fixed film media. The biofilm contains a mix of sulfur oxidizing cultures - often Thiobacillus, Paracoccus, Thiosphaera, along with organic acid cultures including Pseudomonas, Paracoccus, Thiosphaera (Note how Paracoccus and Thiosphaera are in both SOX & Organic Oxidizers). In an active biofilter, the biofilm is maintained by a spray system that adds nutrients and pH adjustment to keep the biofilm at maximum activity. The biofilters are sized based on expected loadings and air volumes to be treated. If sized correctly, they are very efficient and almost appear as a magic box.
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