WC137 JulyAug 2024 - Magazine - Page 21
AGRICULTURE
Tiny Bubbles Solving Big Problems
Why wastewater treatment plants in Canada, the U.S., and
beyond are choosing nanobubble technology to deal with
surfactants, ammonia, and more. BY TREENA HEIN
ANOBUBBLES as a method to treat water and wastewater in a variety of contexts
is not new, but its use by at least one technology provider is now ramping up rather
quickly at municipal wastewater plants in North America and Europe.
The patented technology consists of a nanobubble generator that continually
produces 100 nanometre-sized bubbles, roughly 2,500 times smaller than a grain of
salt, in situ using air and wastewater. Bubble concentration is therefore in the hundreds of
millions per millilitre.
There are several companies around the world that make nanobubble generators of various
designs and performance parameters, including California-based Moleaer, Newmantech of
Korea, IGS Asia Pacific Water Solutions of Australia, Agrona Group of the Netherlands,
Nanobble of India, and Acniti of Japan.
In wastewater plants, Moleaer states
that nanobubbles have unique properties
Smaller
Larger
that enable them to selectively target
bubbles
bubbles
and break down surfactants and fats/
means
means
greater
less
Sterilisation
Water
Re-mediation
oils/grease, making treatment easier and
volume
volume
Treatment
of gas
of gas
more affordable. Breaking down these
inhibitory compounds that cause odours,
foaming, and process upsets results in
Beverage
Cooling
Hydroponics
improved plant performance and better
Industry
Towers
final effluent water quality. Nanobubble
generators are also used to treat effluent in
food and beverage plants (meat processors,
cheesemakers, breweries), aquaculture
facilities, and at industrial sites in mining
and other sectors. They are also used to
treat irrigation water used by horticulture
farmers, greenhouse operators, and fruit
tree farmers for a variety of reasons.
Macro
Meso
Micro
Nano
100 m
1-100 m 1 m-100nm
