MMF Process

Treatment Philosophy

MMF’s treatment philosophy begins with the premise that solids removal at the very beginning of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) will make every treatment step downstream easier and less expensive. By removing large organic solids materials, comprised primarily of tissue, food waste and other cellulose, a reduced Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) load with more uniform and smaller average particle size is delivered to the downstream treatment modules. MMF’s self contained Solids Separator uses a fine screen rotating belt to remove solids in the incoming waste stream. Typical Total Suspended Solids (TSS) removal efficiency for wastewater is in the range of 50% to 80%, with an average of 65% from MMF’s empirical testing of Solids Separator influent and effluent TSS levels. With a lower nutrient load entering the WWTP, a higher dissolved BOD to total BOD ratio, and a smaller average and more uniform TSS particle size distribution, the microbes in the system are able to metabolize the food load with less total oxygen and in a faster period of time. This results in a reduction in aeration and chemical additive requirements and essentially increases the effective treatment capacity of the existing system.

While some clients will be very pleased with performance enhancing attributes of the MMF Solids Separator alone, MMF also offers a downstream treatment package based upon the use of Continuous Backwash Upflow Media (CBUM) filters. While these filters have been in use for many years, MMF is the first company to apply these filters to advanced primary, secondary and tertiary treatment through its patented control equipment and programmable logic controller (PLC) software. Depending upon client treatment goals and discharge quality requirements, MMF can provide the right combination of vessels, media and supplemental systems to achieve those goals.

The MMF Process is comprised of two distinct treatment components: the removal of gross solids with the MMF Solids Separator technology and the treatment of the remaining suspended solids and dissolved organics with the MMF Modular Filtration system, comprised of CBUM filters placed in series. The MMF Solids Separator is placed at or near the headworks of a wastewater treatment plant with the intention of collecting the organic solids in the influent through a compact rotating belt screen. The solids are removed from the rotating belt and then dewatered through use of an integral compression auger. Depending upon the influent characterization and the pump configuration, the MMF Solids Separator can reduce the total suspended solids by 50% to 80%. This reduction in solids loading is what enables the downstream MMF Modular Filtration system to treat a high volume of secondary effluent in a space saving set of compact CBUM filters.

Each Modular Filtration train uses either two or three separate CBUM filters. The difference is whether or not a middle biological filter is included. The first and third Modular Filters use sand as the filtration media assisted by the controlled injection of poly aluminum chloride (“PAC”), a food-grade coagulant, to maintain a dynamic physical/chemical filter to capture the solids in the secondary influent. The PAC forms a “gel” barrier which allows the influent water to move upwards through the PAC and into the sand. Coagulated solids and sand collected by the barrier are removed from the bottom of the filtration vessel through the action of an air lift device which creates a rising motion in a central column through the action of diffused air bubbles. The dirty sand exits the top of the column and proceeds by downward gravity flow through a sand washer. The reject stream comprised of the coagulated solids is kept separate from the treated water up-flowing through the sand media and is discharged through a separate pipe from the sand washer to the outside of the filter vessel for recycle to the MMF Solids Separators or to dedicated reject dewatering equipment. The middle filter uses a fixed film configuration with media that can vary depending upon the biological conditions that need to be established to meet the specific discharge requirements. Furthermore, the fixed film media biological tank can be set up to promote either aerobic bacteria or anaerobic bacteria or both. The reject stream from the fixed film media biological vessel is used to “seed” the primary Modular Filter vessel to help achieve higher concentrations of microbes that will colonize on the sand surface.

The entire process is controlled by a PLC housed in a control panel which receives and delivers control signals from and to air compressors, chemical pumps, mass flow controllers, turbidity meters, level sensors and head pressure gauges. This control system is the heart of MMF’s patented technology. MMF has developed remote communication protocols, enabling MMF to monitor system performance remotely at fixed office locations or on the road through use of a personal digital assistant (mobile phone, tablet PC, I-touch, etc.).

Replacement of Existing WWTP MMF can provide a complete system replacement with the desired expansion allowance, often more cost effectively than a conventional plant expansion alone. The compact footprint usually allows MMF to install its process on existing property, eliminating the need to acquire or use additional real estate.

Modular Treatment Process Additions MMF can incorporate the MMF Process into existing wastewater treatment plants on a modular basis, alleviating the need to design and construct large and underutilized capacity expansions all at one time. MMF promotes the philosophy of “designed for tomorrow, but only build what you need today.”

Solids Separators Many clients have facilities that are approaching treatment capacity limits, but don’t have the financial resources to invest in a doubling of plant capacity. Other clients are experiencing higher than design TSS and BOD loadings because of water conservation measures and lower total hydraulic flows. In these situations, the installation of MMF Solids Separators alone can help alleviate solids overloading and improve the secondary treatment process.

Solids Separators with Gasification Where the recovered solids are sufficient in volume, either at one site or through collection from a series of localized sites, they can be converted to on-site electricity through energy conversion equipment. MMF offers this option, which provides clients with a means to offset WWTP electrical requirements and eliminate solids hauling and disposal costs.

Sewer Mining for Reclaim Water Many municipal and regional treatment entities are expressing interest in MMF’s Process to tap into major sewer trunk lines to treat water to reclaim standards on a distributed basis, and use the produced water for local irrigation or in reuse systems to displace potable water use. This decentralized treatment approach eliminates the need for miles of “purple pipe” to move reclaim water from a centralized treatment facility to the desired points of use.

Pipeline Life Extension through Solids Removal Solids retained in sewer pipelines decompose and release hydrogen sulfide gas, which is corrosive to concrete and iron pipelines. Naturally occurring bacteria oxidize hydrogen sulfide into sulfuric acid which then resides on damp pipe surfaces and concrete walls. The lime in the concrete corrodes as it neutralizes the sulfuric acid, forming calcium sulfate, which gets washed away, eventually causing cracks and reinforced steel corrosion. Miles of sewer pipelines throughout the country are deteriorating from the corrosive effects of hydrogen sulfide. MMF can install its system at strategic lift stations to remove solids for the express purpose of reducing the downstream decomposition of organics into hydrogen sulfide gases, thereby increasing pipeline life. An additional benefit is the reduction of chemical injection at these lift stations to counteract H2S corrosion and provide odor control.

New Planned Project Development In certain locations, real estate developers must demonstrate secure long-term water resources to obtain their project permitting entitlements. Many southwestern state municipalities and water utilities are having increasing difficulties guaranteeing long term water supplies. MMF’s Process can be used to create reclaimed water, displacing potable water use, thereby creating a “potable water offset” that can be used by the developer to demonstrate long-term water supply neutrality.

Military and FEMA Applications MMF is adapting its Process for military applications, including Forward Operating Bases, as well as for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The MMF-550 is a containerized version of the complete MMF Process, capable of processing the wastewater for a 550-person base. This self contained unit incorporates a fine screen Solids Separator, two modular filter trains, chemical feed pumps, level sensors, mass flow controllers, pumps, chemical skid and integrated PLC with touchscreen controls, and remote tablets, all within an 8’ x 8’ x 20’ container.