our technologies
Biological
Bio-Trickling Filtration
Our bio-trickling filters are engineered to treat odours by bio-degrading odour-causing compounds to levels below their detection thresholds. These advanced fixed film biological reactors treat air by passing it through a packed column, where it interacts with water that is continuously cycled over synthetic media. The media is contained within durable vessels made from either polypropylene, fibre-reinforced plastic, or concrete, ensuring long-lasting performance and reliability.
The innovative design of our system includes a controlled recycling process for the water used, which is pivotal for several reasons. It recycles beneficial microbes, maintains optimal pH levels, allows for the precise addition of nutrients, and facilitates the efficient removal of salts and metabolites. Additionally, this recycling process aids in maintaining an ideal temperature for the system and conserves water. Meticulous management of water recycling is key to our bio-trickling filters’ enhanced performance, setting them apart from single-pass systems by offering superior control over both biological and physical processes.
Typical Applications: Used for treating elevated concentrations of water-soluble odorants like hydrogen sulphide that are present in municipal and industrial wastewater streams.
Biofiltration
Biofiltration represents an environment-friendly method for deodorising air, leveraging the intrinsic capabilities of micro-organisms to biodegrade pollutants. Odorous air is passed through a moist, densely packed bed composed of inorganic media, engineered to support microbial growth. The surface and crevices of this highly porous media serve as a habitat for microbes, facilitating the formation of a biofilm, a critical component in the biofiltration process.
To optimize the conditions for gas/liquid transfer and microbial growth, the process air is humidified before entering the media bed. Intermittent irrigation is employed not only to maintain optimal humidity levels within the media but also to scour accumulated waste products, thereby ensuring the efficiency and longevity of the biofiltration system. The media contains pH inhibitors and is designed to absorb and adsorb odorants, both soluble and insoluble odorants. Following their capture, these odorants are subject to biological oxidation processes, effectively transforming them into non-odorous compounds. Encased in vessels fabricated from polypropylene, fibre-reinforced plastic, or concrete, the media’s housing is designed to withstand internal and external conditions.
Typical Applications: Used in situations requiring treatment of airstreams containing combinations of lower concentrations of water-soluble odorants like hydrogen sulphide together with non-soluble odorants and volatile organic compounds that are biodegradable, typically found in municipal and industrial wastewater management systems.
Dual Stage Filtration
Dual-stage biofiltration represents an advanced, two-stage process aimed at the efficient removal of contaminants through a synergistic combination of a bio-trickling filter and a subsequent biofilter. Initially, the bio-trickling filter plays a pivotal role in significantly reducing high levels of hydrogen sulphide. This initial reduction is crucial as it prepares the stream for the second stage, where the biofilter utilizes heterotrophic biological processes. These processes are essential for the effective treatment of reduced sulphur compounds and volatile organic compounds, ensuring total odour removal.
Typical Applications: Used for treating high concentrations of water-soluble odorants like hydrogen sulphide combined with non-soluble odorants and volatile organic compounds that are biodegradable, typically found in municipal and industrial wastewater management systems.
Chemical
Wet Scrubbing
Odorants from a contaminated gas stream are captured in recirculated process water by mass transfer from air to liquid. Chemicals are added to improve solubility of odorants and to facilitate oxidation of odorants. Vessels housing the media packing are fabricated from polypropylene or fibre-reinforced plastic. Vessel design provide for air/liquid counter-flow or cross-flow configurations. Where odorants in an airstream have varying characteristics scrubbing may involve two or more vessels in series.
Typical Applications: Used for treating non-complex airstreams containing single or a limited number of water-soluble odorants.
Gas Phase Filtration
Our dry scrubbers consist of pelletized and porous media housed inside durable polypropylene vessels. The media are impregnated with selected reacting chemicals formulated to treat a single or a range of targeted odorants. The products of the reactions are odourless and environmentally sound. No chlorinated organics are formed. There are no complicated control systems or sensors. PLC operation is not required. Airflow is set and locked at time of commissioning. No water is used and no effluent is produced. Flexible design allows for housing of our dry scrubbing technology in cylindrical or rectangular vessels to match site conditions and customer preference.
Typical Applications: Used for treating lower concentrations of hydrogen sulphide and reduced sulphur compounds. Also ideal in situations where space is limited. No maintenance is required.
Physical
Carbon Adsorption
Odorants in airstreams are captured on carbon surfaces made available by highly porous carbon granules. Carbons impregnated with selected chemicals are used depending on the targeted odorants. Vessels are fabricated from polypropylene or fibre-reinforced plastic and can be configured to customers’ needs.
Typical Applications: Used for treating airstreams containing odorants at low concentrations or as a polishing stage (after primary treatment) to remove remaining traces of odorants.
Photo-Ionisation
The process is based on the effective interaction of UV-light and a catalytic converter. In the UV-chamber the photo-ionisation process is initiated by the generation of strong oxidants like oxygen and hydroxyl radicals. Simultaneously, the linkages of odour molecules are broken up. While some of the contaminants are oxidized immediately others are adsorbed to the surface of the catalyst and are degraded through the interaction of a catalyst and UV-light. The result is a constantly odourless cleaned gas which meets international environmental requirements. The treatment plant consists of a 316SS modular enclosure housing the fan, UV-lamps and catalyst in a single compact unit.
Typical Applications: Used for treating hydrogen sulphide and reduced sulphur compounds. Also ideal in situations where space is limited. Limited maintenance is required.
Hybrid Systems
Bio-Trickling Filter / Dry Scrubber
vitaAER bio-trickler/dry scrubber hybrid systems combine the best features of biological and chemical systems to achieve comprehensive odour and VOC removal with significantly lower operating and labour costs compared to wet chemical scrubbers. The first stage bio-trickler removes 99% of hydrogen sulphide and other soluble substances, leaving the second stage dry scrubber to deal with hard-to-remove secondary odours and non-soluble gases. The bio-trickling filter employs synthetic media, whereas a chemical media mix is used in the dry scrubber stage. In the bio-trickling filter, foul air is introduced at the bottom of the reactor vessel by a fan, and water is evenly distributed from the top by an irrigation pump. This maintains a moist environment conducive to gas-liquid transfer, supporting predominantly autotrophic microbes and flushing out by-products. The synthetic media provides a surface for biofilm attachment and gas-film contact, where most odorants are biodegraded. Some odorants are also removed by microorganisms suspended in the liquid effluent. Controlled recycling of the liquid effluent ensures microbe re-seeding, effective scouring of salts and metabolites, accurate nutrient addition, better pH control and reduced water usage. The second stage dry scrubber effectively removes remaining odours and contaminants using a dry media mix. The media mix consists of one or more components depending on the targeted contaminants and mass loadings. Sulphides are oxidised to sulphates, mercaptans to sulphates and sulphonic acids and amines to carboxylic acids. The products of the reactions are odourless and environmentally sound. No chlorinated organics are formed.
Typical applications: Where odours, in addition to hydrogen sulphide, are of concern. Examples are municipal biosolids (sludge) processing, animal rendering plants and other industrial processes.
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