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ALGAL TURF SCRUBBER SYSTEMS FOR POLLUTION CONTROL

HOW THE ALGAL TURF SCRUBBER SYSTEM WORKS

ATS SURGER AND DISTRIBUTION

The ATS consists of a suitably sloped substrate, typically plastic an

processes. Carbon phosphorus dioxide, and other nitrogen, elements

geomembrane, attachment

overlain grid, upon

with

which

necessary for metabolic growth are rapidly removed from the water

pollutant-laden waters are discharged and an algal turf is cultured. Wave surge motion is

column through biological uptake. Removal of these compounds results in water quality changes within the ATS, including elevation of pH concentrations. Employing a patented

incorporated into the headwaters of the ATS to enhance the exchange of metabolites between algal cells and the water medium. Pulsed flow is provided via a self-siphoning

precipitation process, ATS systems offer the benefit of low-cost

surger.
ATS surger and distribution systems provides flow at linear hydraulic loading rates of 10 to20 gal lf -1 min-1

The algal turf consists of dense mats of small anatomically simple algae less than several centimeters in height. As ATS, water travels are down the

chemical precipitation of pollutants. Through control of operating

parameters such as flow rates, micro and macro nutrients concentrations and biomass recovery rates,

pollutants

recovered

pollutants such as phosphorus are precipitated onto the algal cell walls, then recovered along with harvested biomass, thereby further enhancing

through both biological and physical

SIMPLE CONSTRUCTION

BIOMASS PROCESSING AREA BIOMASS RECOVERY STATION

phosphorus treatment capacity and reducing system treatment costs.

EFFLUENT FLUME

Physical removal also occurs on the ATS through particulate

trapping or filtration within the web of algal filaments.

ATS SURGERS (TYP)

Critical to performance of the ATS biomass system, is cultured algal

routinely

harvested.

INFLUENT FLUME

Routine recovery serves to optimize

EFFLUENT RETURN LINE
PUMP STATION

pollutant recovery, avoid succession to macroalgae and macrophytes and eliminate long-term liabilities

SOURCE WATER

associated with on-site storage of pollutants typical of conventional treatment wetland systems.

BENEFITS OF THE ALGAL TURF SCRUBBER SYSTEM

LOW TREATMENT COSTS

HydroMentias

Algal

Turf

nitrogen and phosphorus,

ATS

Scrubber (ATS) technology was developed by Dr. Walter Adey,

systems offer treatment for a wide variety of toxic compounds including metals and chlorinated compounds. HydroMentias biomass allow management proprietary techniques efficient

Director of Marine Laboratories at the Smithsonian Institution. Dr. Adey REDUCED LAND REQUIREMENTS developed the ATS while

researching low nutrient ecological systems at the Smithsonian. Optimized for nutrient uptake and PROVEN PERFORMANCE pollutant precipitation, the ATS can reduce nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and loads while

cost-effective

and

recovery and management of the algal biomass. Recovered biomass can be readily processed into high quality compost, organic fertilizer or livestock feed, and in the future biofuel. Through management ATS of recovery the biomass, and the

requiring 90% to 99% less land than comparable systems. REDUCED LONG-TERM LIABILTIIES Due to its small footprint and simple and cost-effective offers a treatment wetland

eliminates potential long-

term liabilities commonly associated with systems that store captured

construction, the ATS

lower-cost alternative for nutrient pollution MARKETABLE END PRODUCTS treatment treatment. In addition to recovery of excess control wetlands than or either chemical

pollutants. With over two decades of

research and commercial application, the ATS offers proven and

sustainable treatment performance.

A 2.5 acre ATS can provide nutrient control for over 10 million gallons per day.

ALGAL TURF SCRUBBER PHOSPHORUS CONTROL

FLEXIBLE DESIGN
1000.00
S154 Second Stage (WHS Pretreatment, ATS-300', Ci=330-50 ppb) EAA-Everglades (ATS-50', Ci=80-30 ppb) S154 Single Stage (ATS-300', HLR=100 cm/d, Ci=300-80 ppb)

The Algal Turf Scrubber can be designed and constructed to meet a wide range of phosphorus control objectives. ATS units have been applied to surface water runoff, agricultural and

P Areal Removal Rate (g m yr )

100.00

-1

S154 Single Stage (ATS-300', HLR=200 cm/d, Ci=300-80 ppb) S154 Single Stage (ATS-300', HLR=450 cm/d, Ci=300-80 ppb)

-2

10.00

municipal phosphorus

effluents

with

total ranging

concentrations

from 80 to 8000 parts per billion (ppb).

1.00

Whether your treatment objective is reducing total phosphorus loads or achieving a specific outflow

0.10 1.0 10.0

-2

phosphorus concentration, the ATS

100.0
-1

1000.0

system can be optimized to meet your needs. Capable reliably of consistently and

P Loading Rate (g m yr )

reducing

phosphorus

concentrations to below the most stringent

1.00
S154 Second Stage (WHS Pretreatment, ATS-300', Ci=330-50 ppb) EAA-Everglades (ATS-50', Ci=80-30 ppb) S154 Single Stage (ATS-300', HLR=100 cm/d, Ci=300-80 ppb) S154 Single Stage (ATS-300', HLR=200 cm/d, Ci=300-80 ppb) S154 Single Stage (ATS-300', HLR=450 cm/d, Ci=300-80 ppb)

TMDL

objectives,

the

ATS is the ideal surface water treatment technology.

DESIGN ADVANCEMENTS Recent advancements have

TP Out (mg l )

-1

0.10

resulted in significant increases in areal removal rates even at relatively low inflow phosphorus Capable at of rates

concentrations. recovering

phosphorus

greater than 1,000 lbs/acre-ATS/ yr, these advancements

0.01 0.1 1.0 10.0
P Areal Removal Rate (g m yr )
-2 -1

allow for in the

100.0

1000.0

significant

reductions

treatment facility footprint. The net results are both lower capital and operating costs for the ATS.

ALGAL TURF SCRUBBER NITROGEN CONTROL

25,000 2,500

LOAD VERSUS CONCENTRATION

S154 ATS Single Stage Floway - South (HLR = 100 cm/day or 365 m/yr)

As with phosphorus, the Algal Turf Scrubber can be designed and

N Areal Removal Rate (g m yr )
-1

20,000 N Areal Removal Rate (lbs acre yr )

-1 -1

S154 ATS Single Stage Floway - North (HLR = 200 cm/day or 730 m/yr) S154 ATS Single Stage Floway - Central (HLR = 450 cm/day or 1642 m/yr))

2,000

constructed to meet a wide range of nitrogen control objectives. ATS units have been applied to surface water runoff, agricultural and municipal effluents with total

15,000 1,500

10,000 1,000

-2

nitrogen concentrations ranging from 1 to 18 parts per million (ppm). Whether your treatment objective is to reduce your AWT effluent to allow discharges to local source

5,000

500

0 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000

-2 -1

3,500

4,000

4,500

0 5,000

waters or load reduction to meet the new TMDL requirements, the ATS system can be optimized to meet your needs.

N Loading Rate (g m yr )
Total Nitrogen Inflow Concentrations Range from 1.1 to 2.7 mg/l

LOW-LEVEL TREATMENT
25,000

ATS systems are capable of

S154 ATS Single Stage Floway - South (HLR = 100 cm/day or 365 m/yr)

2,500

providing consistent, cost-effective nitrogen reduction, even with the

N Areal Removal Rate (g m yr )

20,000 N Areal Removal Rate (lbs acre yr )

-1 -1

S154 ATS Single Stage Floway - Central (HLR = 450 cm/day or 1642 m/yr)) S154 ATS Single Stage Floway - North (HLR = 200 cm/day or 730 m/yr)

2,000

lower nitrogen concentrations often present in surface water runoff. Designed Linear to operate at high Rates

15,000 1,500

-2

-1

Hydraulic

Loading

10,000 1,000

(LHLR), high nitrogen areal removal rates can be achieved for a wide range of point and nonpoint source applications, including lake

5,000

500

restoration projects. The result is that the ATS

0 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 TNIN (ppb)
Total Nitrogen Inflow Concentrations Range from 1.1 to 2.7 mg/l

0 3,500

offers

the

lowest

cost

treatment

technology for nitrogen control.

TREATMENT FACILITY LAND REQUIREMENTS

POLLUTANT AREAL REMOVAL RATES

900
820.7
Biological treatment systems including treatment wetlands and Managed Aquatic

800

Plant

Systems

(MAPS)

have

been

repeatedly shown to offer the lowest cost alternatives for nonpoint source pollution control. However, with these systems, land

700

requirements become a critical selection factor, both in terms of overall costs and land availability. For many of todays

P Removal Rate (lbs/acre-yr)

600

applications, sufficient land simply is not available for construction of a treatment wetland system.

500
419.3

It is here that ATS system benefits provide a distinct advantage over treatment wetland systems. Operated at significantly higher hydraulic loading rates, ATS

400

systems

offer

equivalent

treatment

performance while requiring a fraction of the land area.

300
223.0

COST-EFFECTIVE POLLUTANT RECOVERY Recent advancement have demonstrated the versatility of the ATS system.

200

152.7

Operational data have shown that increases in hydraulic loading rates of over 400%, have resulted in minimal loss in percent

100
4.9
Constructed Wetlands - Orlando Easterly Natural Wetlands - WCA-2A

removal of priority pollutants.

6.0
Constructed Wetlands - Everglades STAs

10.7

Dependent

on

project

specific

objectives, HydroMentias engineers can design

HMI - Single-Stage ATS - HLR 157 cm/day HMI - Single-Stage ATS - HLR 368 cm/day HMI - Single Stage ATS - HLR 92 cm/day HMI - Two-Stage WHS-ATS

an

ATS re moval

system w hi le

to

optimize achieving

pollu tan t

designated concentrations.

outflow

pollutant

Comparative phosphorus areal removal rates for ATS and treatment wetland systems

COMPARATIVE TREATMENT COSTS

LOW COST POLLUTANT CONTROL Pollutant control strategies for point and nonpoint source pollution include a wide variety of approaches including onsite best management practices, chemical treatment, filtration and biological
$62.00

treatment. Selection of the best approach is often determined based on treatment costs. Treatment costs are reduced through numerous benefits of the Algal Turf
$60.00 $70.00

Scrubber, including:

Assessing

phosphorus

and

nitrogen

5 0 -y r P re s e n t W o rth C o s t ($ /lb P -R e m o v e d )

Small footprint Reduced design costs Fast construction Simplified operation Marketable by-products

$50.00

control options using a 50-yr present worth cost shows the clear cost savings that can be achieved when using the ATS system. With both lower initial capital costs and long-term present worth costs, the ATS technology saves money, both short and long-term.

$28.68

$40.00

$30.00

$20.00

BY-PRODUCT VALUES Not included in referenced costs are the potential revenues generated by the sale of the high quality organic fertilizer/ compost product produced from the ATS operation. Bulk sales of high-quality
$0.00 $10.00

Treatment Wetland

Algal Turf Scrubber

organic fertilizers can exceed $50/ton. A typical ATS operation produces 50 to 100 tons of organic fertilizer per ton of phosphorus recovered. In the future,
[1] HydroMentia. April 2005. Single Stage Algal Turf Scrubber Present Worth Cost & By-Product Market Analysis. (TPIN=200 ppb, TPOUT=146ppb, 27.0% Removal, 56,000 AF/yr, Pumping Costs Included) [2] USACE, SFWMD, HDR. October 2003. Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project Draft PIR, Water Quality Treatment Ranking (TPIN=261 ppb, TPOUT=100 ppb, 61.6% Removal, 97,500 AF/yr)

biofuel production may offer even greater revenue generation potential.

BIOMASS MANAGEMENT AND PROCESSING

EFFICIENT BIOMASS RECOVERY

MAPSoil Typical Analysis Nitrogen (N) Phosphorus (P2O5) Potassium (K2O) Sulfur (S) Calcium (Ca) Magnesium (Mg) Moisture 2.0 1.0 0.5 0.2% 1.5% 0.25% 40%

To

reduce

operating a

costs,

HydroMentia

developed

proprietary

technique for recovering algal biomass in which process water conveys severed

biomass to a central harvesting station. A four-wheel all terrain vehicle or tractor with attached implement is used to sever algal biomass from the growing matrix. The severed material is then

conveyed via process water to a receiving flume, where it is recovered by an

automatic rake at a centralized harvesting station. These

End products made from the harvested algae include compost (above), livestock feed and biofuel (below).

design

efficiencies

allow

single operator to recover biomass from approximately one acre of ATS in less than one hour. With algal biomass

recovery scheduled once every 7 to 14 days, minimal labor is required to maintain the ATS at optimal performance. COST- EFFECTIVE PROCESSING Recovered material is conveyed to a bunker or transport trailer, where it is available for further processing. High in nutrient content, algal biomass can be processed into a high-grade organic fertilizer/compost, biofuel. Organic fertilizer produced within livestock feed or

ATS systems are suitable for a broad range of fertilizer markets. As a livestock feed, processed algae is typically 20 to 30% crude protein, offering a protein-rich high quality feed ingredient for the

massive U.S. agricultural market Currently in development are systems for processing the conversion of algal biomass to energy products, including biodiesel and ethanol.

ALGAL TURF SCRUBBER APPLICATIONS

BROAD RANGE OF APPLICATIONS

LAKE RESTORATION

Serving as an artificial kidney, ATS offers cost savings for a broad range of water treatment ATS units can be designed to recover incoming pollutant loads to meet TMDL mandates while reducing nutrient pollutants stored within lake STORMWATER RUNOFF Nonpoint source applications that involve nutrient pollutants are nutrient discharges. As the lowestco s t a l te r n a t i v e s for n u tr i e n t
30 MGD Aquaculture Facility located in Okeechobee, Florida

applications.

sediments. The net result is a reduction of in-lake nutrient concentrations,

improved water clarity, and enhanced littoral fisheries. zone communities and

especially well-suited for the ATS with the systems capacity to treat large volumes of water contaminated with relatively low concentrations of pollutants. ATS systems can be designed to meet the most stringent of TMDL objectives.

recovery, ATS systems are well suited for agricultural applications. GEOGRAPHIC OPPORTUNITIES Short start-up periods allow the ATS to operate on a seasonal basis Due to the rapid rate of algae for reduced operational costs, or for application in northern climates. production and recovery within the ATS unit, trace metals present in

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

WASTE WATER TREATMENT ATS offers an exciting

source waters may be incorporated into recovered biomass. Many of these trace metals serve as necessary and valuable micronutrients for algal growth. Recovered from the

opportunity for advanced treatment of domestic is a wastewaters. limited Since re s o u r c e

ATS APPLICATIONS
Stormwater Treatment
Phosphorus Nitrogen

water

throughout the country, secondary or tertiary treated wastewater can be polished with an ATS unit, making the water clean enough to be

treatment system and processed as an organic fertilizer/compost, these

Tertiary Treatment
Nutrients

trace elements become a beneficial resource. Applied to industrial wastes, a high-production, high-pH scrubber

discharged to local surface waters. This eliminates the need for disposal PHYTOREMEDIATION OF METALS via deep well injection and spray irrigation. AGRICULTURAL ATS serves as an agricultural solution to an agricultural problem

Agricultural
CAFO Runoff

unit can effectively recover, through algal uptake and precipitation, a wide variety of organic compounds. and inorganic

Industrial
Nutrients Metals

Lake Restoration

ALGAL TURF SCRUBBER SYSTEMS FOR POLLUTION CONTROL

HYDROMENTIA, INC.

Post Office Box 367 Ocala, Florida 34478 352.237.6762 telephone 352.237.0944 facsimile www.hydromentia.com

U.S. Patent Nos. 4,333,263 ; 4,966,096 ; 5,097,795 ; 5,715,774 ; 5,778,823 ; 5,851,398 ; 6,572,770