Biological Double-Efficiency Process as an Advanced Wastewater Treatment Method to Achieve Substantial Energy and Water Savings
Advanced Biological Wastewater Treatment Method to Achieve Substantial Energy and Water Savings.
BDP Technologies
Recipient
Irvine, CA
Recipient Location
37th
Senate District
73rd
Assembly District
$1,533,626
Amount Spent
Completed
Project Status
Project Result
There was a substantial period of inactivity due to COVID-19. Due to Stay in Place orders, no on-site construction could occur. In late October 2020, the recipient did a project site condition checkup and planned to accomplish the following to complete the project: complete electrical installation, complete leak repair and redo hydrostatic testing, complete equipment installation, complete laboratory setup, and continue leak repairs. As of February 21, 2025, a revised draft final report has been received and is in the CEC editing process. In addition to the revised draft final report, appendixes in the form of a process design report for the City of Rialto and the Civil Engineering drawings submitted to the City of Rialto were also received on February 21, 2025. As of April 15, 2025 a revised final report has been received and submitted to publications for final review.
The Issue
The most common secondary wastewater treatment process for nutrient removal is the activated sludge process. Most activated sludge processes are energy and land/space intensive as they include separated anoxic and aerobic tanks with secondary clarifiers. The infrastructure requires high capital, land footprint, and embedded energy and operation and maintenance costs. The current challenge for wastewater treatment plants in California is to meet the demand from population growth, increasingly stringent regulations and aging infrastructure while potentially reducing the energy and water consumption.
Project Innovation
This project is demonstrating an efficiency technology that targets one of the major energy using steps in wastewater treatment. The Biological Double Efficiency Process (BDP) combines state of the art, easy to maintain aeration technology, airlift circulation/dilution technology, and an integrated all-in-one bioreactor technology to replace the separate anoxic and aerobic tanks associated with secondary clarifiers. The BDP is based on simultaneous nitrification and denitrification principles.
Project Benefits
The innovative BDP technology has the potential to provide substantial energy savings to wastewater treatment plants, including reducing 50 percent of the aeration required for secondary treatment, thus decreasing electrical energy requirements and greatly improves oxygen transfer efficiency to 48-52 percent compared to 20-30 percent in conventional technologies.
Affordability
The BDP technology could reduce energy and water consumption and costs at wastewater treatment plants while also meeting California's growing water and wastewater needs. The technology has the potential benefits of substantial 50 percent energy reduction, 30 percent less capital, 50 percent less land required, 50 percent reduction in operation and maintenance costs, and water savings opportunities.
Key Project Members
Ben Chi Wai Chow
Subrecipients
Veolia North America
ES Engineering Services, LLC
Air Design Solutions
M.H.M. & Associates Enterprise, Inc.
Califonia Arborworks DBA (Southland Forest Management LLC)
O.C. Vacumnn Inc
Match Partners
BDP Technologies
