In 2011, Aqua-Aerobic Systems entered into a long-term partnership with the Rock River Water Reclamation District (RRWRD) which allowed Aqua-Aerobic to build an on-site Research & Technology Center at the RRWRD’s central treatment plant. The new facility was constructed for the purpose of conducting applied research and demonstration of new products and process technologies used in the treatment of wastewater. This collaboration allows Aqua-Aerobic access to a variety of in-plant process wastewater streams from a full scale wastewater treatment plant. This arrangement is integral in developing and testing new products and process concepts for future commercialization and applications, both domestically and internationally. The facility is also an integral component to the Aqua-Aerobic seminar and used to demonstrate full-scale, operating technologies to customers.
Aqua-Aerobic Research &
Technology Center
The primary technology that is tested at the facility is Aqua-Aerobic Systems’ Cloth Media Filtration. There are several success stories that Aqua-Aerobic can attribute to its collaboration with the RRWRD – many of which have positive impact on the local economy through increased revenue, use of local vendor skills, procurement of OEM components, product exports and jobs. Below are a few successes that have current or future economic impact:
Primary Filtration
Initial testing of this unique application using cloth media technology was undertaken at the Rockford Sanitary District. The data that was produced enabled Aqua-Aerobic to present this concept to many potential clients.
Cloth Media Testing
Testing of new filtration cloths at the RRWRD has resulted in Aqua- Aerobic remaining the global leader in tertiary cloth media technology. One specific example is a $2.5 million project that came directly from a new cloth that was tested and developed at RRWRD.
California Energy Commission Grant
Aqua-Aerobic was one of the recipients of the $3.5 million grant from the California Energy Commission to study Primary Filtration. This grant would not have been awarded if Aqua-Aerobic could not provide testing results that were undertaken at the RRWRD.
Cloth Media Filter Configuration
The latest Aqua-Aerobic cloth media configuration is the Aqua MegaDisk® – a larger style tertiary filter configuration. All of the testing of this unit was undertaken at the RRWRD. Having a full-scale operating Aqua MegaDisk was integral in securing the company’s first order in 2013.
