In the Swiss city of Perlen, there is a papermill with a wastewater treatment plant, where our Mutag BioChip™ has already been in operation for 13 years. The BioChips are still fully efficiently cleaning the wastewater and the customer is very satisfied with the solution. The long servicelife is due to the construction of the BioChip, on which we will go into detail in the following.
The MUTAG BioChip™ is made of virgin PE and is therefore a thermoplastic synthetic material of highest quality standard. As with other carrier media available on the market, which are made of PE virgin and designed for use in MBBR systems, the service life period is among others depending on the chemical load.
Chemical Resistance
The MUTAG BioChip™ is resistant in material against a high number of chemical substances. Normally, material-attacking substances can be expected to be existing in the biologically treatable wastewater only in low concentrations; hence they are material-decomposing or -affecting in rare cases only. In such cases, the chemical resistance must be verified.
Prevention of material damage
Generally, a material damage is not to be expected when no harmful substances are introduced to the system. The reaction tank, in which the carrier media is suspended, should be free of sharp-edged or rough objects (e.g. mixers or other installations).Compared to other carrier media, the MUTAG BioChip™ has a very low weight per unit. For this reason, the kinetic energy, is significantly lower in the event of an impact on any object, e.g. a tank wall, and a wear caused by kinetic energy is nearly excluded.
Weight and kinetic energy
Additionally, the kinetic energy is also buffered by the flexibility/shaping, and the protection ring of the BioChip.Due to its porous and rough surface, the MUTAG BioChip™ is permanently covered with an active biofilm which also has a protecting and respectively lubricating effect.
Summary of the service life
When complying with the specified guidelines the PE material of the MUTAG BioChip™ can be regarded to be equal to the generally known life expectancy of PE.
An exchange or replacing of the media is not required in the case of conventional use according to the purpose of the media.