KINGWOOD, TEXAS, Nov. 7, 2013 -- A large-scale fluidized bed bioreactor (FBR) system for American Pacific Corporation (AMPAC) recently began at the site of a former manufacturing facility in Henderson, Nev., to achieve the biodegradation of perchlorate and other constituents from the groundwater.
Provided by Envirogen Technologies, Inc. (Envirogen), the 1.2 million gallon per day (MGD) capacity system replaces a smaller biological system that had been in service since 2006 and utilizes Envirogen's patented FBR technology in a custom configuration to reduce influent concentrations of perchlorate of up to 500 ppm to non-detectable levels prior to surface discharge.
According to Robert Stark, south region vice president for Envirogen, the AMPAC installation underscores the rising prominence of FBR technology, both for perchlorate remediation and as a sustainable, cost-effective tool for a wide range of groundwater treatment challenges. "This site presented us with a high-load scenario coupled with the need for trouble-free performance and a low operational burden," Stark explained. "With this FBR installation, we were able to meet AMPAC's target treatment goals for perchlorate as well as chlorate and nitrate, while fine-tuning the equipment to provide them with the lowest-cost performance possible"
Envirogen's FBR suspends, or fluidizes, biological media within the reactor vessel by the upward flow of water through the system. The suspended media provides a large surface area for microbial growth and allows a biomass density several times greater than that of other bioreactor designs under similar loading conditions. Microorganisms in the reactor completely destroy influent perchlorate and other targeted contaminants under anoxic conditions, without generating hazardous waste by-products.
About Envirogen Technologies, Inc.
Headquartered in the Houston suburb of Kingwood, Texas, Envirogen Technologies, Inc. is an environmental technology and process solutions provider that combines experience in water and vapor phase treatment with process development expertise - delivering long-term, guaranteed solutions in a broad range of treatment and process-related applications. In industrial markets such as mining, hydrocarbon processing and chemical processing, Envirogen also specializes in process water treatment, byproduct recovery and chemical purification. The company conducts business throughout the United States, with regional offices in Southern California, Illinois, New Jersey and Tennessee. For more information on the company, visit www.envirogen.com.
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