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Vacuum Bubble^® Technology Research Studies

Vacuum Bubble^® Technology Aerators of all sizes have undergone extensive testing by industry groups, universities, and private companies.  These studies have consistently shown that the patented Vacuum Bubble^® Technology Aerator process treats waste more effectively and more efficiently than compressed air or other aeration technologies.

Livestock

Home Septic

Innovative Aeration Retrofit of Existing Failed Septic Systems Around Lake Livingston, Texas by Terrell R. Hoage, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX. 77341; Paulene Johnson, RI, Septic-Hydro-Tec, Goodrich, Texas; Mark Waters and Richard Gerard, Water Quality Lake Livingston Project, Trinity River Authority, Livingston, TX.

Approximately 50% of Texas's almost 4 million standard septic tanks are showing signs of failure. These are anaerobic systems with failures resulting from solids accumulation, undigested solids reaching the absorption field, and flow obstruction. Repeated pumping is required.

This paper describes a project where, after a 14 week control test of a two tank anaerobic septic system, a Vacuum Bubble® Technology (VBT™) unit was introduced into the first tank. BOD and TSS were reduced by 50% and Coliform bacterial counts were reduced by 90%.

A second test using a single 500 gallon tank with one VBT™ unit installed showed that BOD was reduced by 90%, TSS reduced by 85%, Coliform reduced by 90% and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) averaged 5.2ppm.

The paper concludes with a discussion of retrofitting a failed standard septic system with a VBT™ unit resulting in no odor, no line obstruction, no overflow and no field absorption problems.

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Industrial Applications

Restaurant Grease Trap Systems

Various investigations have been undertaken to assess the effectiveness of Vacuum Bubble® Technology in restaurant Grease Traps. These have met with mixed results. The grease trap environment is problematic in a number of different ways. The contents of grease traps vary significantly from restaurant to restaurant, the temperature of the contents of a grease trap is often very high, consequently the ability of certain bacteria to function optimally in such an environment is challenged. There is a wide range of solid material that finds its way into a grease trap and this can interfere critically with the operation of a VBT™ unit. The properties of the grease, fats and oils found in any grease trap can significantly influence the pH of the environment that, in turn, will affect the ability of aerobic bacteria to function effectively.

Nevertheless, some studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of VBT™ in these harsh environments, and despite the challenges, VBT™ has once again shown its unique ability to provide a continuous supply of Oxygen Transfer Potential (OTP) to the medium. The following papers are presented to highlight the versatility and usefulness of this technology.

Comparison of Four Treatment Methods for the Removal of Lipids and Food Waste
in a Grease Trap Environment,
by Scott A. Lowry
Enviornmental Science Department
Texas Christian University, Ft. Worth, Texas

The four treatment methods described in this paper are:

• Pumping the grease trap
• Bacterial inoculation
• Aeration
• Aeration with inoculation.

The study focuses on the comparative benefits of these four treatment methods on the removal of lipids and food waste found in a Texas university grease trap.

The author describes bioremediation and proposes that this is a route to more effective treatment of a relatively new pollution problem, namely the increasing load on wastewater treatment facilities as a result of an expanding restaurant industry.

Sound statistical analyses were conducted to assess the impact of the four treatment methods and to determine the parameters that were the best indicators or predictors of BOD. Measures of influent and effluent levels of BOD, TSS, NO₃- and NH₃ were taken in each of the treatment phases.

The author concludes that inoculation and aeration using Vacuum Bubble® Technology (VBT™) resulted in the largest percentage decrease in both influent and effluent levels of all the important tests. These treatments were effective in removing BOD, TSS and nitrogen from the grease trap. Aeration however, resulted in the largest reduction of all measured parameters.

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Aeration Pretreatment for Commercial Restaurants, by Terrell R. Hoage, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University,
Huntsville, Texas & Paulene Johnson, CEO Septic Hydro-Tec, Inc., Goodrich, Texas

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