stormBLOX™ Technology

At its core, a stormBLOX process is very simple consisting of four basic treatment steps;

• Influent (storm flow) is screened and dosed with alum (for preconditioning)
• Preconditioned wastewater is then filtered using spiral-wound, UF membranes 
• Filtered wastewater is contacted with activated carbon and, if necessary, eolite for removal of BOD and reduced nitrogen respectively 
• The final product will comply with the most stringent permeate limits and is ready for post disinfection, if required, followed by discharge 

From an operator’s standpoint, a stormBLOX system is easily configured to turn on only when influent flows exceed an adjustable value (setpoint).  When the process is in service, roughly 90% of the influent is treated but a small slip-stream (reject or retentate) is sent to the primary biological process for treatment.     

Until now, direct low-pressure filtration of raw (untreated) wastewater has not been considered a sustainable treatment option.  However, Ovivo in cooperation with The TriSep Corporation, developed a process whereby fouling is controlled using aluminium sulphate (alum).  

Combining the right membrane chemistry and geometry with alum pre-conditioning eliminated the need for air scouring (improved energy efficiency) and increased membrane flux (reduced capital cost).  For budgetary comparisons, the total installed (constructed) cost for a stormBLOX system can be on the order of $2/gal - $4/gal with a guaranteed energy consumption rate of < 0.5 kWh/m3.  By comparison, industry data suggests the total installed costs for MBR systems can range between $6/gal-$14/gal (for plants with rated capacities between 0.5 MGD and 10 MGD) with actual energy consumption figures >> 0.66 kWh/m3.

Some of the key advantages of stormBLOX over biological processes when managing storm flows include:

• Smaller footprint
• No air scouring required
• No tanks required
• Side-stream treatment that can be permitted
• Produces reuse quality effluent
• Modular and extremely scalable
• Extremely energy efficient (simple, comprehensive guarantees available)
• Readily taken in and out of service based on need
• Resists shock hydraulic loads
• Insensitive to variable and toxic loading

• Fully integrated system with one performance guaranty
• Proprietary, patent pending technology
• Exclusive agreement with The TriSep Corporation for a membrane technology specifically developed for treating raw wastewater
• Exclusive agreement with ZeoTex for the best zeolite available on the market