Benefits – Ultra-Oxygen

Farms, Factories, Homes, Commercial buildings and developments, Lakes – Drinking water reservoirs – Golf Courses – Recreational Ponds – Irrigation Dams – Cooling Ponds – Water Treatment Plants – Cooling Towers

We provide project specific solutions

In Wastewater
In Agriculture
In Aquaculture

Properties of Micro and Ultrafine Bubbles

In recent years, it was revealed that Micro and Ultrafine bubbles have a lot of valuable properties. These include the following capabilities:

Sterilisation capability – The agglomeration and collapse process of the Micro and Ultrafine bubbles converts oxygen in the air into active oxygen, creating bactericidal molecules, including OH and O3.

Cleaning capability – Ions existing at the gas-liquid interface of the Micro and Ultrafine bubbles decompose and adsorb oil and fat contamination, allowing removal of the contamination without needing cleaning agents.

Bio-activation capability – It has been proven that the Micro and Ultrafine bubbles penetrate deep into biological cells and enhance the immunity of the cells. This has eliminated the need for antibiotics or reduced the amount of antibiotic usage.

Growth promotion capability – It has been verified that using the Micro and Ultrafine bubbles allows fish, crustacea, and plants to be grown 20 to 30 per cent larger than those produced ordinarily.

Cell protection capability – It has been found that oysters grown with the Micro and Ultrafine bubbles remain alive even if frozen to minus 20°C. This is likely because the Micro and Ultrafine bubbles protect oysters’ cells against damage due to freezing.

Heat transfer capability – The Micro and Ultrafine bubbles can raise or lower a liquid’s temperature rapidly and effectively.

Vaporisation promotion capability – It has been proven that the Micro and Ultrafine bubbles in a liquid promote the vaporisation of the liquid. Applications based on this effect include highly efficient water-cooled cooling towers and evaporation-based desalination systems.

Environmental purification capability – The Micro and Ultrafine bubbles help restore the biological balance in lakes, rivers or seas and remove odours and toxic substances produced by anaerobic bacteria. This effect stays long, even in large water bodies such as lakes, rivers and oceans.

General Observation

Micro and Ultrafine bubble water perform differently depending on the choice of gas to infuse it with.

Therefore, there are a lot of applications.

Benefits of using Ultra-OXYGEN Micro and Ultrafine bubble technology

Major benefits users recorded, studies verified, and results obtained from our equipment.

Eliminate up to 70% to 90% of the current algae.
50% chlorophyll reduction
80% to 100% Copper Sulfate Reduction
Prevent the occurrence of toxic blue-green algae.
Increase agriculture productivity.
Control fouling in sand filters and clarifiers.
Prevent biofouling growth.
Safe for fish, plants, and other aquatic life
Reduce and prevents taste and odour problems.
Improve water quality, and reduce pH, TSS, BOD and chemical dosage.
Prevent clogging of filters.
Improve coagulation and flocculation processes.
Reduce the risk of spreading legionella.
Improve habitat for fish and wildlife and increase Aesthetic Appearances.
Lower bacterial counts.
Reduce chemical expenses.
Quality of crops
Health of all species that live in water.
Healthier environment.
Humans’ well-being.

Reduce blue-green algae

How to identify different algae types, click here.

Treating blue algae in lakes with Ultra-Oxygen MB/UFB technologies allows for improving the water quality without harming the ecosystem.

In lakes, large ponds, water reservoirs, and public waters, the growth of blue-green algae present a global problem.

These types of algae represent a group of bacteria known as cyanobacteria, which give rise to a distinct foul odour and are also known to produce toxins. Each year, numerous lakes are forced to close for recreational and other uses due to the growth of blue-green algae. High-tech water quality monitoring and algal controlling systems can prevent algal blooms in lakes.

Blue-green algae growth

What Makes Blue-Green Algae Dangerous?

Due to climate change, average temperatures are increasing. As a result, algae blooms within freshwater lakes occur more often and are more severe. Blue-green algae- also known as cyanobacteria- can cause problems when blooming in lakes. Toxins from cyanobacteria have caused many instances of fish kills and the death of domestic animals. They can also cause illnesses and paralysis in humans, and some are even suspected to be involved in the occurrence of liver cancer.

Eliminate harmful chemicals

Harmful chemicals such as copper and chlorine are more and more unwanted in this context, as they are detrimental to the environment and often produce unwanted side effects. Furthermore, herbicide and algaecide treatments require often-expensive permits by the local government for environmental protection. The lake or reservoir must be closed for several days when using aquatic herbicides.

Algae in drinking water reservoirs

In drinking water reservoirs and other water bodies, algae growth can occur. Algae cells need light, water, carbon dioxide and nutrients naturally occurring in water to grow. An algal bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the algae population in freshwater or marine water systems. Excessive algal growth can result in several algae-related by-products, such as toxins, MIB, and geosmins. These by-products can have a severe impact on the water quality. Nutrient buildup in a lake or reservoir can be due to irrigational run-off, industrial pollution, and a general build-up of organic material at the bottom of the lake or pool.

Reduce algae concentration

Especially in the summer months, when the water temperature increases, the concentration of algae can grow exponentially. Water in the raw water reservoir is often stagnant; the lack of water circulation can cause the algae to over-compete other organisms in the ecosystem and thus create massive algae blooms. To deal with these by-products, water treatment plant (WTP) operators often use copper sulfate in a natural reservoir to control the algae. Additionally, Activated Carbon filters remove geosmins, MIB, and Toxins from the final product. Removing algae from the water treatment plant is expensive and time-consuming (e.g., removing and cleaning the sand filters).

Reduce pH levels of the discharge

Excessive algae growth in cooling ponds can significantly cause pH levels to exceed NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permissible limits.

In electric power generation facilities, cooling ponds are used to store the heated water and supply cooling water to the power plant. Power plants must comply with NPDES effluent requirements when discharging the cooling water. pH levels need to be maintained within the range of 6.0 to 9.0 SU.

Elevated pH levels can be caused by various mechanisms such as algal growth, high nutrient levels of the source water, and chemicals used in cooling operations in the power plant. Excessive algal growth causes pH levels to increase through photosynthesis, in which carbon dioxide is rapidly extracted from the water Source water with high salt content entering the cooling pond can provoke an increase in pH levels. Nutrient-rich water can indirectly influence pH levels, too, by accelerating algal growth. Within cooling operations often, chemicals are being used. Although these do not always influence the pH levels directly, they can contain high amounts of phosphorus which facilitates algae growth.

Current methods for lowering pH levels include adding sulfuric acid to the cooling water. This expensive treatment method does not consistently deliver the desired results. Another technique is controlling algal growth in the cooling pond with chemicals such as algaecides. Besides being expensive, algaecides could negatively affect the power plant’s operations. Controlling algal growth with Ultra-Oxygen MB/UFB technologies is proven safe and cost-effective to control algae. The chemical-free technologies have successfully controlled algal blooms in drinking water reservoirs, lakes, cooling towers and cooling ponds.

Prevent the clogging of filters from irrigation water

Water used for irrigation can contain high levels of nutrients; some of these nutrients are beneficial for the plants watered but can also lead to extensive algal growth.

Algae in irrigation reservoirs can clog the irrigation system and spread over the irrigated area. In addition, some types of fungus present in these waters can be extremely harmful to the plants.

Almost 60 per cent of all the world’s freshwater withdrawals go towards irrigation uses, where landholders use water basins and farm dams to irrigate their crops. Irrigation water is vulnerable to blue-green algal bloom- particularly during peak summer months. Because of an algal bloom, the water source may become contaminated. It is recommended to avoid the use of contaminated water since it can have a negative impact on human health.

Adverse effects of algicides – “Synthetic algicides include (also classified as pesticides): benzalkonium chloride, benzoxazine, copper sulfate, cybutryne, dichlone, dichlorophen, diuron, endothall, fentin, hydrated lime, isoproturon, methabenzthiazuron, nabam, oxyfluorfen, pentachlorophenyl laurate, quinoclamine, quinonamid, simazine, terbutryn, tiodonium.”

Care must be taken in the use of algicides, as with the use of any aquatic herbicide. Algicides cause cell rupture, and intracellular toxins will be released into the environment. Often these algicides have restriction periods for different uses of the water, such as watering livestock or irrigation. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 47 per cent of the world population could be living under severe water stress by 2050. Therefore, the agriculture industry needs new technologies that allow farmers to increase their water use efficiency.

Eliminate odour problems and increase Healthy Appearances

To furnish both, it is essential that the water looks clear, is free of any solids and should not contain chemicals that may harm the plant growth. Algae growth within ponds can complicate irrigation, as filamentous algae may clog the pump, and suspended algae can clog nozzles later in the system. Ultra-Oxygen MB/UFB technologies can substitute chemical-based herbicides and algaecides. Together with low power consumption, maintenance is reduced to a minimum.

Prevent taste and odour problems

The performance of a drinking water treatment plant is consistent with the amount of contamination in the water.

Growth of algae and biofouling in a treatment plant can cause various problems, including: clogging of intake screens, fouling of weirs, increased chlorine demand, tastes/ odours, and the release of toxins. Controlling algae, cyanobacteria and biofouling with Ultra-Oxygen MB/UFB technologies can efficiently reduce taste and odour problems in a treatment plant.

Biofouling in drinking water systems – Biofouling in drinking water systems has detrimental effects such as microbiological and chemical deterioration in water quality, corrosion-inducing effects, and efficiency-reducing effects in water treatment processes. The growth of algae, cyanobacteria and bacteria within the basins of the plant itself increases the demand for chemicals or filtration and, in turn, creates problems with THM (trihalomethane) formation. Algae and biofouling-related issues are also often seen in sand filers, flocculation chambers, clarifiers and coagulation tanks.

Efficient Aeration – Ultra-Oxygen Micro and Ultrafine Bubble generators, some smaller than the wavelength of light per millilitre of water. The sheer volume of bubbles, coupled with neutral buoyancy and high surface tension, results in industry-leading oxygen transfer of greater than 90%, efficiently increasing DO and ORP and oxidising H2S and other odour-causing compounds.

Odour Prevention – Micro and Ultrafine Bubbles produced by the Ultra-Oxygen Micro and Ultrafine Bubble equipment can be neutrally buoyant, meaning they do not float to the surface of the water and rupture. They instead disperse following Brownian motion, distributing evenly throughout the body of water, regardless of water column depth. Upon achieving DO saturation, the remaining Ultra Fine Bubbles introduced to the body of water will remain in suspension, creating a DO buffer. When DO is consumed in the water, and an oxygen gradient is present, the Ultrafine Bubbles in solution dissolve additional oxygen into the body of water, maintaining a steady-state DO concentration and preventing the formation of more H2S.

Energy Efficiency through Existing Pumping – Ultra-Oxygen Micro and Ultrafine Bubble generators can operate as inline gas injection systems. As water flows through the generator, gas is injected into the MB/UFB bubble. Ultra-Oxygen MB/UFB systems are available as the most energy-efficient aeration solution on the market. They can start to treat H2S and even BOD upstream of the treatment plant at a fraction of the energy of conventional aeration solutions.

Reduce biofouling growth

To prevent algae from flowing into the filter beds, biofouling growth in clarifiers must be cleaned manually. Algae cells cannot pass the medium when they are washed into the filters. The algae grow further, living off of nutrients that are washed in. Chlorination is often used to control bacteria and algae in the water treatment plant to reduce the foul odour and earthy taste. However, this is often not powerful enough, as a significant number of algae continue to be present. By preventing biofilms from growing on the walls within the water treatment plant, the taste and odour of the water become better, and the formation of THMs (Trihalomethanes) can be drastically reduced. “THMs are also environmental pollutants, and many are considered carcinogenic.”

Algae can grow in the cooling tower itself and on the grids from the tower. This could lead to enormous disadvantages of biofilm in cooling towers. Therefore, water used in cooling towers needs frequent treatment and chemical shocks to keep levels of micro-organisms to a minimum.

Biofilm formation – In a cooling system, billions of bacteria are held together by a slimy substance, extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs), and natural polymers of high molecular weight secreted by microorganisms into their environment. A biofilm or biofouling forms when the bacteria stops moving settles down, and becomes part of a biofilm. Other organisms, such as algae, weeds, parasites, muscles or even barnacles, may attach to this layer. Due to biofouling- adverse effects may occur, such as increased chemical consumption, corrosion and increases in power requirements of the system. Biofouling also can cause health and safety implications due to the growth of disease-causing bacteria such as Legionella and Listeria.

Prevent Biofouling and lower chemicals.

A matrix of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, EPS and algae can proliferate when temperatures are high in cooling towers.

Biofouling removal

A bacteria-free cooling water system is not to be found in the industry because their conditions are generally favourable for bacteria. To remove biofouling from the cooling towers, mechanical removal is applied with use of brushes, scrapers or foam balls. Nevertheless, mechanical removal does not kill the bacteria. Bacteria in cooling towers are killed by oxidising and non-oxidising biocides. However, using these biocides can cause a drop in PH levels and subsequently to form chloramines. Ultra-Oxygen MB/UFB technologies can be applied to reduce biocides use and biofouling.

Flotation

Better Collision – The negative surface charge of MB and Ultra-Fine Bubbles limits bubble coalescence, ensuring they stay separated in solution. The bubbles charge, in combination with the high concentration of Micro and Ultra Fine Bubbles delivered to the wastewater by the UO2-MB/UFB generator, increases the probability of collision with suspended matter and improves floatation rates.

Rise rate Flexibility – The gas-flow rate into the Ultra-OXYGEN MB/UFB can be managed, enabling operators to manipulate the size of bubbles produced and thus able to adjust how fast the bubbles must rise in the water column. This is the only award-winning patented equipment in the world that enables water engineers to adapt their design requirements on site according to the site conditions to meet the needs of the water being treated, a first in the water treatment industry.

As bubble size decreases, so does its buoyancy and, subsequently, its rise rate. A lower rise rate is advantageous for froth flotation of coarse particles and hard-to-float suspensions that require relatively long slide times. Meanwhile, a more rapid rise rate may be acceptable for larger, more buoyant particle removal.

Improved Chemical Efficiency – The flotation process is often heavily dependent on coagulants and flocculants to maximise particle collision rates and produce floc Ultra-Oxygen MB/UFB technology enhances this process. The sheer concentration of Micro and Ultra Fine Bubbles, coupled with their strong surface charge, increases collision rates and enhances floc formation. The net effect is reducing the quantity of chemicals needed to achieve flotation.