LEVAPOR: An Ideal MBBR/IFAS carrier - Levapor
Levapor carriers are the first synthetically modified MBBR/IFAS carriers developed after considering the above properties of ideal carriers for MBBR/IFAS process requirement.
Levapor carriers are made of Hydrophilic Poly Ether based reticulated PU foams having fine pore structure ranging its pore size from 450-750 microne. The reticulation process of the PU foam imparts very high strength to the material with durability and flexibility like rubber making it ideal material for MBBR carrier application. The fine pore structure of the reticulation also provides very high surface area , high inner porosity resulting in very high amount of voids per m3 of carrier material.
Further to enhance the surface properties of this reticulated PU foam, We are impregnating it with fine activated carbon and surface active pigments. The impregnation of the PU foam matrix with activated carbon having high adsorbing capacity and surface area of 1000-2000 gm/m2, results in very high surface area and extremely high adsorbing capacity with ionic charges on the surface beneficial for faster and efficient colonization of live and active biomass on it.
The presence of Activated carbon on Levapor carriers provides additional benefit of PACT (Powdered Activated Carbon Activated Sludge) process to the attached growth MBBR/IFAS process. Due to presence of activated carbon, the toxic substances entering the reactor during the toxic events, gets adsorbed on the carrier material. This reduces the bulk liquid concentration of the toxic substances reducing its toxic impact on the micro-organisms present in the suspended phase.
As the higher substrate gradient of the adsorbed substance is developed on the carrier material, this allows for the growth of specific type of micro-organisms responsible for the degradation of this toxic substance. This growth of specific type of microorganism helps in the effective and efficient bio-degradation of such toxic and difficult to biodegrade kind of substances. The bacterial film growing on the carrier material converts this substance into smaller molecular weight substances through hydrolysis and eventually biodegrades it. Thus this biodegradation of adsorbed pollutants via micro-organisms automatically regenerates the adsorption capacity of the carrier material.
The permanent impregnation of the carrier material with activated carbon eliminates the need for addition of activated carbon on continuous basis as practiced in PACT systems for industrial effluent treatment and the ‘’reversible adsorption and regeneration’’ phenomenon helps to regenerate the adsorbing capacity of the carrier material eliminating any need for top up or back wash or cleaning making the adsorbing capacity available for any further prevention of toxic shock loads.
