If an investor was to assess an industrial business for its current and potential future worth, he or she would simply note the fact that an asset or structure exists on site for treating a process by-product (wastewater). Few spot the opportunity that exists in this underutilized asset.
At OxyMem our business is to change the minds of owners, operators and engineers the world over, by showcasing our advanced biological wastewater treatment solution. Our product takes advantage of a very simple, naturally occurring biological process that has been used to treat wastewater across the globe for hundreds of years. Biofilm technology was once considered a viable, scalable means of treating wastewater when trickling filters were first implemented industrially in Wales during 1800’s. However, since then there had been little evolution in biofilm technology until the past few decades, with the emergence of moving bed bioreactors (moving media) in place of fixed bed reactors (static media).
In recent years, the significant power consumption of moving bed bioreactors in a world eager to drive down carbon emissions and minimise energy usage, has drawn attention to an alternative advanced media based wastewater treatment solution; one that is emerging as a preferred option to many. The flexible, enhanced media offers a paradigm shift within the world of wastewater treatment; a semi-rigid media, capable of moving naturally with the water current but still within a fixed assembly is rich with air or oxygen, and provides extremely high oxygen transfer rates, reduced footprint and the lowest whole life cost of all solutions on the market today. This enhanced biofilm media technology is called MABR (Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor), and is the solution we at OxyMem have been investing in.
When I personally advise an industry owner that OxyMem could help improve the quality of his or her plant’s effluent, which will, in turn, help the environment, this message usually registers little interest (unless of course that owner has failed or will fail to meet the minimum effluent discharge requirements …. and faces a hefty fine for negatively impacting the local ecosystem). Of course, not all owners react the same. Some do listen, but when chasing profits most follow their default human DNA programming of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
However, if I point out the fact that he or she is currently operating an ageing plant that is happily (or unhappily) meeting effluent discharge standards but running close to peak capacity, and that OxyMem’s solution can actually increase revenue and profits, the reaction is very different.
In instances like this, the piqued interest comes from talk of a potential increase in revenue and profits as OxyMem can quickly provide additional production capacity through the main works. Our drop-in modules are perfect for freeing up biological treatment bottlenecks at the back end of the industrial facility.
What OxyMem offers stands to increase the production throughput capacity of any existing biological wastewater treatment plant (municipal or industrial), without the need for downtime and/or modifications to existing civil structures.
The solution offers a 75% reduction in energy consumption above the best in class aeration systems today, alongside its easy deployment and robust operation.
The non-disruptive-to-process drop-in modules provide increased biological capacity and provide an alternative to building new tanks or having to change an overall process treatment stream to a completely new one (that will carry the same risks as the old system of effluent failure).
Each single OxyMem drop-in MABR module can take pressure off a struggling facility or improve effluent quality. OxyMem MABR also serves to protect the aerobic biology from shock loads (eg. Toxins, CIP chemicals), will not get washed out of the system with high flows and can be fed with oxygen enriched air to increase performance when higher seasonal process loads are present.
In summary, many wastewater plants (industrial and municipal) are reaching the end of their natural life with some operating close to capacity. The default response may be to ignore the problem fearing the investment needed to upgrade or replace the existing plant. With OxyMem it is possible to extend the capability of the plant with minimal investment and a lowest ongoing operational cost, ensuring that the plant can operate more efficiently without disruption.