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Egg Farm Installation

The Clear Rex Bubbler was installed at an egg farm and washing facility in central Pennsylvania. The facility is designed to handle two wash cycles, with water carrying high BOD. The cleaned water will be stored in pump chambers where it will be used to irrigate a field. The facility is only running one wash cycle, so the Bubbler will initially run only one cycle per day. This setting can be changed with the push of a button when they add a second cycle.

Checking the health of the reactor

Wastewater treatment relies on healthy sludge for effective treatment. Using a sludge sampler allows you to see a profile of the sludge in the reactor, so you can see: How well it is settling. Size of flocs. Color of flocs. Depth of sludge layer. This information tells you the condition of the reactor. The red mark is 1 foot of depth, which is the ideal sludge level for most small systems. The sludge in the picture above is healthy. It has a rich, earthy color and good settling. The sludge level is a little low, which is fine in this case...

What is SBR

Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) is an advancement in wastewater treatment that allows several steps of the process to take place in a single chamber called a ‘reactor’. Since sequencing batch technology is demand-responsive, it resolves the problem of sludge bulking that happens in conventional extended aeration systems, which cause system failure, especially in small units. Advancements in computers coupled with the dropping price of the microchip have removed the need for a plant operator and made this technology price-competitive...

Benefits of SBR

The main benefits of Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBR) are: Demand Response Aeration – energy efficiency Smart Controls – for reliable treatment over time No Chemicals or Fixed Media – fewer problems Retrofitable – can repair failing systems SBRs were developed to address the very common problem of sludge bulking in extended aeration systems. Sludge bulking is a leading cause of failure in systems that do not have the capability to adjust aeration to meet demand. The SBR uses only air to create the proper environment...

How does the SBR reduce total nitrogen?

Nitrogen reduction in wastewater is a two-step process that requires an aerobic step followed by an anaerobic step. Since the aeration step comes first, this makes the process more complicated, since the primary settling portion of treatment plants is anaerobic. If left alone in wastewater, nitrogen causes the following problems: Depletion of oxygen in the water. Causes algae blooms and eutrophication. Pollutes drinking water and can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrogen enters wastewater in some organic form, but once it hits the water, it...

NSF/ANSI 245 certified!

PekaSys is proud to announce that the Clear Rex Bubbler is now NSF/ANSI Standard 245 certified! This adds to the NSF/ANSI Standard 40, as well as 7 European certifications that it holds. During the testing, the Bubbler achieved an average effluent BOD of 3 mg/L BOD, TSS of 5 mg/L, and a TN reduction of 65%. While the NSF does not certify retrofits, the unit that was tested can be retrofitted to obtain the same results where regulations allow it. This is the only product on the market with 245 certification that can be...

What is Sludge Bulking

Sludge bulking describes a common type of failure in extended aeration systems where the flocs fail to properly settle out during the settling portion of treatment. This is often the result of the presence of too much or too little oxygen in the wastewater during treatment, leading to the formation of filamentous flocs that do not properly settle. Under proper operating conditions, bacteria form tight flocs with very little filamentation occurring. These flocs quickly settle out, leaving a clear portion of water that goes to discharge. When...

Concrete 2.0 – Sustainability Initiative

Sustainability doesn’t happen in a vacuum. In order to succeed, sustainable solutions need to take a comprehensive approach to problems and either fit in with the way things are done today, or be able to resolve any problems that arise from increases in efficiency. PekaSys is proud to announce its Concrete 2.0 Initiative. This is a joint venture with willing precasters throughout North America to take precast concrete to the next level in sustainability, adding new product offerings to existing concrete forms…and offering end users...

What is Wastewater Treatment

Wastewater treatment seems complicated, and it can be…but at it’s core, it is really quite simple. There are only three basic ways that wastewater is treated: Anaerobic – bacteria consume pollutants in the absence of oxygen. Aerobic – bacteria consume pollutants with powered by oxygen. Filtration – suspended solids over a certain size are physically separated from water.   Anaerobic Treatment Anaerobic treatment is most commonly used in conventional septic tanks. Anaerobic bacteria are very slow when...

SBR Manual