Mellifiq solves enduring groundwater problem with our AquaFloc

Water treatment .

Groundwater remediation

Application

Removal of heavy metals, oil and aliphatics

Market

Dewatering & hydrogeology

Location

Sweden

Introduction.

Mellifiq tackles a difficult groundwater remediation case

In this reference project, we are heading towards one of Sweden’s industrial capitals to provide assistance to a construction project.

Our client is a company offering top-notch consulting and project management services. When working on projects, they focus on managing the project and coordinating the partners that they hire for it, which is great because it means they can really make a difference to the success of the project! We were absolutely thrilled to be one of those partners in this project! We at Mellifiq were asked to design and implement a functioning treatment system for the groundwater.

The problem.

Groundwater—a precious resource

Groundwater contamination is a problem that is often encountered within the context of construction projects—and it’s an exciting challenge to overcome! Groundwater is a very precious resource, and the local authorities responsible for managing it have set strict requirements for construction companies so that they can do their bit for the environment! The authorities demand that construction companies proactively implement measures to protect the groundwater and the surrounding environment during their projects. In addition to local regulations, the European Union has also implemented a union-wide Water Framework Directive that regulates how its member states should treat their water sources. This is, of course, very beneficial for the environment.

Our client had been struggling with treating aliphatics, suspended solids, and heavy metals for many years before we came along. External consultant reports showed that contamination levels were just above the maximum legal threshold. They had simply never succeeded in finding the right system configuration to treat their groundwater, but we were confident we could help them succeed!

The solution.

A multitechnical, tailored groundwater treatment solution

We kicked off our project by conducting tests on the groundwater and collecting information so that we could design a comprehensive treatment solution. We were looking at general flows between 3 m³/h and 20 m³/h, depending on external factors such as weather conditions. Using our findings, We were able to to provide and commission a functioning, custom-made, multitechnical groundwater treatment solution to our client.

Two of our Water Maid AquaFloc 24-S systems form the basis of the treatment system. The two AquaFloc containers, each measuring 20 ft, are particle separation systems that remediate groundwater using flocculation processes. Through homogeneous mixing, the systems successfully separate suspended solids from the water by making full use of the carefully selected flocculant.

While flocculation processes are effective, they are not always efficient at taking care of heavy metals and organic compounds, such as aromatic compounds and aliphatics. This meant that we had to be innovative! We were able to successfully compelment the AquaFloc systems with downstream treatment processes that were perfect for the job! These processes included a particle filtration step using our Water Maid FlexKarb-S, an advanced ozonation step using our Ozonetech RENA Tellus X200 ozone system, and finally, an adsorption step using our Water Maid FlexKarb-C system aimed at dissolved organics and heavy metals. We integrated these additional treatment processes into a movable container in order to ensure operational stability and to prevent weather issues.

In addition, every single one of our systems is fitted with security mechanisms that monitor their activites and notify our Service Center in case there are any problems.

Solution facts.

Mellifiq delivery

A multitechnical treatment solution consisting of sedimentation (2 x Water Maid AquaFloc 24-S containers), particle filtration (Water Maid FlexKarb-S), ozonation (Ozonetech RENA Tellus X200) and adsorption (Water Maid FlexKarb-C)

Flow

20 m³/h

Purification rate

Over 80% for dissolved organics, over 80% for heavy metals

Evaluation.

Resounding success

We are more than happy to see that our complete treatment solution—which includes two AquaFloc containers, a particle filtration system, an ozone system, and an adsorption system—has delivered excellent results.

We conducted a series of tests after the commissioning process was complete. These tests analysed aliphatics and heavy metal levels, and also included COD-Cr levels. The COD-Cr levels allowed us to gain a comprehensive understanding of the dissolved organics levels. Thanks to the tests, we could confirm removal rates of 100% for suspended solids, over 80% for dissolved organics, and over 80% for heavy metals. Furthermore, aliphatics could not be detected at all!

Thanks to our multitechnical system, the purified groundwater fulfills all legal requirements. This way, our client has managed to rid themselves of a problem that they have tried to solve for several years. With operational safety being an extra perk of our treatment solution, our client could not be more satisfied!