A high efficiency effluent purification technology that helps municipal, commercial and industrial users to recycle sewage as service water is being introduced to Australia by Eimco Water Technologies-AJM Environmental Services (EWT-AJM).

The Huber Vacuum Rotation Membrane VRM bioreactor from Eimco Water Technologies-AJM Environmental Services is particularly useful in situations where increasing drinking water shortages require at least partial reuse of treated wastewater as service water, including applications such as irrigation.

The technology is ideally suited to blackwater treatment, industrial wastewater treatment, hotels and high-rise buildings. Capacities extend up to 1000 m3 a day and operating costs are as much as 65 per cent less than alternatives because of the technology’s unique rotating carriage, which significantly reduces air scour demand.

John Koumoukelis, EWT/AJM National Sales Manager, Industrial and Municipal said that the HUBER VRM process is a system of ultra filtration membranes submerged within aeration tanks that delivers high effluent quality that meets the most stringent current international regulations.

He also stated that while being simple and compact in operation, the technology is already sufficiently highly advanced to meet the increasingly higher effluent disposal legislative demands anticipated in the future. Already it complies with the latest legal standards, including EC standards for bathing waters, California Title 22.

Cost-efficient to purchase and operate with energy saving features. The HUBER VRM system is a combination of biological wastewater treatment and high-efficient solids/liquid separation. Pre-screened wastewater is aerated, clarified biologically and all solids within the flow (particles, bacteria, viruses) are removed by the ultra filtration membrane in accordance with the low pressure principle.

By increasing the concentration of the active biomass to 12 - 16 g/l, the system can improve the efficiency of a conventional wastewater treatment plant without the need to increase tank volumes.

The system also eliminates the need for subsequent secondary clarification tanks, sand filters or a disinfection plant that are otherwise often required for advanced wastewater treatment. Existing secondary clarification tanks can, however, be used for process optimisation.