Jacopa announces launch into tertiary treatment market

Spearheading its efforts in Ireland and the UK will be a product range of fixed plate cloth media filters designed by US manufacturer Fluidyne.

While there is no absence of rival products, Lloyd claims the combination of high performance, low operating cost and ease of maintenance will offer a significant advantage.

“When you speak to customers their first question is always – ‘is it easy to maintain?’ ” he told Process Engineering at the annual Pump Centre Conference at Telford International Centre.

“There are no moving parts, the cloth filter is durable and inexpensive to replace and it can be cleaned in the machine.”

Jacopa’s decision to move beyond its traditional areas of operation reflects a growing trend among companies for providing ‘one stop shop’ provision for the sectors they serve – extracting maximum value from their customer relationships.

When you speak to customers their first question is always – ’is it easy to maintain?’

Alex Lloyd, MD, Jacopa

It also aligns with rising interest in the UK and Ireland in ‘toilet to tap’ approaches that seek to increase the industrial benefits of recycling and also reduce plants’ water footprint.

Tertiary treatment plays a key role in this, including the reduction of suspended solids. Particular emphasis has been placed on priority substance removal such as phosphorous.

Conscious of the competitive market, Lloyd says that Jacopa’s new range contrasts with traditional disc system product. The Fluidyne rectangular media stay fixed during operation, while the design uses gravity to achieve filtration and backwash flow.

“The filter requires no internal or submerged moving parts, so much of the mechanical complexity, maintenance and costs that arise with disc type filters are reduced.”

Jacopa’s drive into the tertiary market will rest on its ability to develop a customer offer that promises ease of installation and maintenance, with the promise of reduced associated cost and downtime.

The flat sheet Fluidyne media requires no stitching, fabrication or specialist tools; filter plates can be isolated without pauses to flow, bypassing or storage and filters do not require a sludge manifold. Cloth media are also located at the top of tanks in order to avoid entry by personnel.

A further advantage, says Lloyd, is that filter packages can be built offsite with minimal onsite requirements, so reducing costs and safety challenges.

He added: “Engineers like to design things, I prefer to design once. Offsite building is, I think, more efficient – you achieve better quality and there are fewer mistakes.”