Aquarobic Mini-Plant Add On Components - Aquarobic International, Inc.

Aquarobic Mini-Plant™ Add On Components

Up-Flow Filter:
The clear supernatant is pumped down to a perforated manifold at the base of the up-flow filter chamber where it rises slowly through the filter media. At the top of the filter the polished clear liquor then overflows by gravity to the last chamber where the effluent is further treated for nitrogen removal, disinfected using UV light, chlorine, or iodine crystals. The effluent can be recycled back for toilet flushing, lawn watering and other non-potable uses.
When the filter cycle ends, the remaining fluid in the up-flow filter is returned to the aeration chamber by the filter backwash pump located in a perforated well tile in the center of the filter media. The rapid return rate flushes back accumulated solids from the filter and as the liquid is removed from the filter media, air re-enters thereby maintaining a healthy aerobic biomass reducing the pollution load from incoming batches.

Re-circulating filter:
The filter is installed in a separate fiberglass tank or in a “kit" form to install onto a locally built two compartment concrete tank. The effluent from the Mini-Plant is pumped into a 4" distribution manifold at the top of the filter material (1/4" to 1/2" beet or peat gravel). The effluent flows slowly down through the filter media where it is collected by another 4" perforated pipe manifold at the bottom of the filter material and flows to the center 16" PVC re-circulating filter pump well. A pre-determined volume allowance in the center well activates the re-circulating pump switch, which starts to pump the liquid around and back into the top 4" perforated manifold for continuous filtering.
The filter tank is designed to hold the daily wastewater flow from the Mini-Plant, in the empty space above the filter, and in the filter media.

The UV light is always "on" intensifying the bacterial kill. Because the effluent is discharged once per day, treatment time can be extended to further polish the effluent. The re-circulating pump line’s restricting valve can be adjusted to create back-pressure on the line forcing some of the re-circulating liquid out through a small pipe that leads to the UV disinfection system. The restriction valve determines the effluent amount circulating in the disinfection area. Depending on the size of the unit, an adjustment to affect the flow of less than one gallon per minute can increase the treatment time and efficiency of the UV.

Advantages of the Aquarobic Mini-plant™ Up-flow or Re-circulating Filter Units:

Tertiary treatment producing high quality effluent. (Less than 5-5 BOD5 and Suspended Solids (SS.)

The entire operation is automatically programmed for the specified hydraulic flow pattern of each application.

Spin Clear Filters

Plastic Spin Clean - Available in 3/4", 1", 1 1/2", and 2" sizes with unique self-cleaning spinning action that cleans the stainless steel screens even under the most severe conditions. Maximum 150 PSI pressure rating.

Steel Spin Clean - 2" through 12" epoxy-coated carbon steel, with sintered stainless steel screens. Spin cleaning action ensures efficient handling of the most difficult filtration problems agriculture, industrial, wastewater and large turf systems operating at 100 to 2800 GPM.

T Filter - Low profile design with black or clear debris basin, having a 3/4" MPT drain with cap to suit a wide range of applications.

Screens - Replacement screens in appropriate mesh sizes are available for all API filters or Aquarobic International, Inc. The Mini-Plant uses a 50 -micron filter.

Effluent Disposal
In most cases, the Commonwealth of Virginia permits the effluent from the Mini-Plant recycling filter units to surface discharge after disinfection. The treated effluent can be pumped to pressure or vacuum lines for transporting to a community disposal area or used on the property for irrigation.

Aquarobic Mini-Plant&trade and Filter Bed System
Aquarobic International, Inc. raised filter bed disposal system is designed to complement the Mini-Plant.
The application rate to the top of the filter bed:
Flows up to 1500 gpd: = 4 gal. /Sq.Ft./day
Flows than 1500 gpd. Domestic, commercial / industrial =2.5 gal. / Sq. ft./day.

The distribution grid (4" perforated pipe) is to be placed level, on 15" centers in 12" of washed 3/4" inch stone.

The maximum size of any filter bed top is 900 sq. ft. larger areas require multiple beds separated by a minimum distance of 15' using a common contact and mantle area.

The elevated portion of the filter bed is a minimum of 30" inch depth. The filter media is specified by Aquarobic International, Inc.

Whenever possible the contact area is to be cut into the ground (level + or -6"), and back-filled with a minimum of 12" of a sandy material, 0.5 to 1.5 mm clean sharp sand. On sloping land a 12" separation distance is required by the State of Virginia (VDH) to the limiting zone, no cutting will be allowed; imported leveling material is used for the mantle area. This material is to be from soil type II or III and back filled with 12" of mason sand with an average size of 1 to 2mm. If the high ground water table is only 12" from the ground surface, heavy clay material must be used around the perimeter of the filter bed mason sand mantle area to prevent breakout.
The contact and mantle area is sized by the following formula:

A = QT/25. A = contact and mantle area.
Q = quantity of wastewater per day—daily sewage flow
T = the percolation time of the original soil in minutes/inch (of the “a” horizon). Percolation rates above 120 min./inch, the mantle area is to be sized at an application rate of no more than 0.20 gallons per square foot per day.

At a minimum, the mantle shall be at least as wide as to equal the footprint of the filter bed material and extending to a minimum of 50 feet from the outer distribution pipes in the direction of flow. Other separation distances (e.g.. well, property line, buildings, etc.) shall be measured from the toe of the filter bed.

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