Key Benefits of BioGill Technology

The BioGill Tower provides the ideal conditions for attached growth biofilm to readily remove soluble organic nutrients. The oxygen rich environment permits catabolic oxidation of organic compounds such as sugars and free fatty acids, along with ammonia oxidation and nitrification.

Concurrent denitrification occurs within the biofilm and in the treatment tank below where anoxic (low to nil oxygen) conditions prevail promoting nitrate and nitrite reductions to nitrogen gas, completing the nitrogen cycle.

The BioGill design allows for the growth of a diverse and complex ecosystem which includes many species that are unable to be cultured simultaneously in conventional systems. This is due to the unique mode of mass transfer, the gill structure creates counter diffusion of nutrients and oxygen. The resultant oxygen concentration gradient is the enabling factor allowing concurrent carbon removal, nitrification, and denitrification under certain conditions.

The advantage of this technology is ultimately the greater fluxes that are possible by supplying the gaseous oxygen directly to the biofilm without having to traverse a liquid layer.

Modular & Scalable Water Treatment with Low Operating Costs

The BioGill technology process can be implemented in an endless variety of configurations, depending on the treatment objectives and environment conditions. For example, batch setup, continuous flow system, cascade and multiple stage systems.

As a portion of the biomass grows as a biofilm in direct contact with the air and is fed soluble nutrients via the porous gill substrate. The biomass is largely prevented from being smothered by water and oil, ensuring the availability of oxygen to the biomass even with the presence of fats, oils and grease.

A feature of this mechanism, enables lipase activity by aerobic bacteria to degrade oil and grease without the biomass being smothered. Over time, biofilm sloughs off and settles rapidly as large pieces in the treatment tank below.

The decant tank, otherwise referred to as the treatment tank, provides residence in the system for the removal of soluble nutrients (analogous to hydraulic retention time) and functions as a clarifier in batch systems, allowing suspended solids to settle on the tank floor. Over time these solids are removed as part of the sludge management plan. 

ANSTO developed, Water and Wastewater Treatment

Invented and developed by scientists at the Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO), this step change technology challenges the traditional metrics and way of thinking in treating wastewater. The technology is fundamentally different to conventional water treatment systems relying on submerged cultures, the technology is also similarly different to conventional attached growth processes where both nutrients and oxygen are supplied with the liquid from one direction.

The BioGill technology allows for superior passive oxygen transfer, as gaseous oxygen is supplied directly to the biofilm from the atmosphere without traversing a liquid layer. This allows for greater oxygen fluxes and promotes treatment and energy efficiencies.