BIOROCK - A PRODUCT OF BIOBOX

Last Updated 15 years ago by Kenya Engineer

Compact sewage treatment plants:

The Biorock® package sewage treatment system was developed to purify domestic sewage (or waste water) which operates in the absence of a centralised sewage system. The Biorock® purification process is unique in comparison to traditional techniques: It is electricity-free – giving the owner a lifetime of savings. The Biorock® system mirrors nature and the way she treats waste material in a compact, underground, visually unobtrusive, silent and odour-free package. Biorock® sewage treatment plants also use biological treatment processes. The Biorock® treatment philosophy enhances and combines the principles of pre-separation (used in a septic tank) and aerobic biological filtration. The treated effluent from this system surpasses the highest regulations and norms, including the criteria for several prestigious certifications. As a result, the treated effluent from a Biorock® plant can be infiltrated, discharged to natural outfalls like rivers, dams and lakes or reused for irrigation. Biorock® is the only domestic sewage treatment plant in the world that requires no electricity and meets the highest standards.

How does it work?

The raw sewage first enters the pre-filter tank which separates the solids from the liquid part of the effluent. This could be an existing septic tank in the case of a retrofit installation. This pre-filter digests most of the solids anaerobically and should only require emptying every 2 to 3 years. The solids-free effluent then enters the Biorock® biofilter which uses layers of natural fibre material in contact with the air to treat the effluent in exactly the same way as nature treats effluent in the soil or on the margins of a pond. Bacteria grow in the fibre and digest the organic material as it passes through the system. Instead of using electricity guzzling compressors or pumps to provide the air, the Biorock® biofilter sewage treatment plant utilises the wind and natural chimney-draft’ to draw the air through the plant with no electricity required. The natural fibre works with nature, not against it and is self-cleaning.

Benefits of the Biorock Sewage Treatment Plant include:

•No Electricity Required – The Biorock doesn’t need any electricity at all for the process. It relies on gravity and natural air flow to work. This is a large financial saving per year even on small single house sewage plants.

•Solar Power Friendly – Where a pumped outlet is required, the Biorock uses a tiny low-voltage pump which can comfortably operate on SOLAR POWER – not mains electricity!

•No Moving Parts – No pumps, blowers or other equipment is used in the sewage treatment plant.

•Completely Silent – Completely silent operation as there are no pumps, motors or compressors.

•Minimum Visual Impact – A small lid, flush with the ground ensure no visual obtrusion. No compressor, blower or pump, so no above-ground kiosk to house the equipment.

•No Concrete Required – The Biorock does not require any concrete for the installation (depending on ground conditions). This will save a lot of money on the installation since you no longer require a concrete plinth to install the unit.

•Superb Effluent Quality – This system will produce effluent to a 10:10:10 effluent standard (BOD 10mg/l, TSS 10mg/l, NH4-N 10mg/l). The typical worldwide standard is 20:30:20. Most packaged plants commercially available in Africa does not even meet this minimum standard. This means that the final effluent from a Biorock sewage treatment plant is twice as clean as the minimum standard!

Where the final effluent is discharged to a water course, or reused for irrigation, the effluent is further treated (to reduce Ammonia to under 6mg/l) and sterilised.

•Lowest Running Costs – This is the cheapest system to operate in Africa. Guaranteed!

•24-Hour Start Up Period – For most Sewage Treatment plants, the sewage (or wastewater) must be flowing through them for anything from 4 – 12 weeks before the bacteria establish themselves and the plant is working properly. Many suppliers even use additives to get their process started. The Biorock natural fibre material is pre-seeded with numerous strains of enzymes and bacteria which ensures that the system has a start up period of only 24 hours. This has enormous benefits for systems that will experience periodic or seasonal use as nearly all conventional systems will fail to meet their discharge consent standards for several weeks or months when occupation resumes. The Biorock will be fully functioning in 24 hours and remain functioning, even after 7 months without use. Guaranteed!

•Minimum Annual Maintenance – The maintenance on a Biorock is lower than any of its rivals. This saves the owner money and reduces carbon emissions.

•Long Desludge Interval – The primary tank only requires a desludge about every 3-5 years. As a result it will save a large amount of money on the running cost.

•Sustainability – Without question it is the most sustainable system available.

•Low Carbon Footprint – Due to fact that no electricity is required for the processs, the CO2 emissions relating to the production of the electricity are not present. Likewise the infrequent desludge period reduces the CO2 emissions caused by the tankers that empty all Sewage Treatment Plants.

•EN 12566-3:2005 certified. No sewage treatment plant in Africa meets the stringent CE certification requirements of the EN12566-3 and EN12566-7 standards. All standards certification bodies in Africa recognise this certification.

•EN 12566-7:2006 certified. The only sewage treatment plant in Africa to have this latest CE certification.