Patent Awarded to Ovivo’s UltraFixed Digester Cover

Ovivo’s latest product line, the UltraFixed Anaerobic Digester Cover, has recently been awarded a patent, positioning Ovivo once again at the forefront of the industry’s cutting-edge technology. This new design holds the promise of becoming the global standard for large-diameter digester tank covers.

The innovative sealing and support method at the core of the UltraFixed digester cover design offers the benefits of traditional steel cover designs while substantially reducing the overall weight of steel and concrete.

The world of digester covers encompasses three primary categories: steel fixed, steel floating, and spherical plastic membrane covers. Irrespective of the cover type, an efficient sealing system is required for optimal functionality. The UltraFixed cover is a revolutionary hybrid that can fulfill the functions of fixed and many floating covers while leveraging the proven sealing concept utilized by membrane covers worldwide. Conventional fixed and floating covers typically rely on a reinforced steel side sheet that extends several feet (4ft to 12ft) down from the cover’s perimeter into the sludge to create a liquid seal. Although steel side sheets excel at providing sealing, they can account for up to 30% of the total steel weight in a conventional cover, amounting to tens of thousands of pounds. The UltraFixed cover offers significant material and weight savings compared to conventional floating covers, where large concrete ballasts weighing several hundred thousand pounds are used to generate the necessary operating pressures. Unlike conventional floating covers, The UltraFixed cover does not require ballast weights or complex articulating walkways and pipework to operate at any liquid level and maintain desired pressures. Instead, it relies on a membrane band bridging the circumferential gap between the steel cover and the top of the concrete tank to establish a permanent seal, similar to a conventional membrane cover.

The cost benefits of the new cover spill over into the fabrication, shipping, and construction phases as well. With a lighter overall footprint and fewer parts to put together, the innovative UltraFixed cover significantly reduces the fabrication, shipping, and construction time and footprint.

Ovivo is committed to providing innovative efficient systems, equipment, and technology for purifying drinking and wastewater. Moreover, Ovivo prioritizes environmental sustainability in its approach. Products like the UltraFixed cover represent not only a cost-saving advancement in digester cover design evolution but also a significant stride toward creating environmentally sustainable solutions in the industry. From requiring substantially less material to reducing the carbon footprint associated with fabrication and construction to long-term maintenance reduction, the UltraFixed cover offers tangible environmental benefits compared to conventional fixed and floating steel digester covers.