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Purus Polishing Systems

Purus Polishing Systems are a collection of industrial stormwater treatment technologies designed to remove small particulates, colloidal solids, dissolved metals, nitrate, toxic organics and bacteria to low levels. Purus Systems require relatively clear inlet water with a total suspended solid (TSS) concentration of less than 20 mg/L. To achieve this level of clarity, Purus Systems are mainly used downstream of Aquip Media Filtration Systems or another high-performing particulate-reduction technology.

A Newterra Purus polishing system in an industrial application installed on a concrete slab

Product Overview

The Purus Technologies can be applied individually or in a series to reduce most pollutants to below benchmarks or numeric action levels. With this level of stormwater pollutant removal possible, the Purus System is ideal for industries where higher concentrations of specific pollutants are unavoidable or where more stringent or watershed-specific water quality standards apply.

Benefits

  • Flow matched to upstream treatment rates
  • Slip-stream treatment configuration available
  • Freeze protection available
  • Targets individual site-specific parameters
  • Removes trace pollutants in hard-to-treat applications

Technical Specifications

Purus Polishing Systems – Basic

Purus Basic System is a pressurized fine filtration technology that shaves particulate pollutants down to a nominal particle size of 10 microns, 5 microns or even 1 micron. (There are 25,400 microns in an inch.) For contaminants that are present predominantly in ultrafine or colloidal particulate form, Purus Basic System may be a sufficient polishing technology to get the target pollutants to below benchmarks or action levels. Purus Basic Technology must include pretreatment if the TSS concentration is consistently greater than 20 mg/L.

Purus Polishing Systems – Metals

Purus Metals System is a pressurized media filtration process that targets specific ionized or dissolved metals or specific categories of metals. Purus Metals Systems are typically used downstream of Purus Basic System or, in some instances, can be used downstream of Aquip Media Filtration System. Typically metal is reduced through Purus Metals Systems to below the benchmarks or action levels, with a margin of safety.

Purus Polishing Systems – Organics

Purus Organics System is a pressurized media filtration process that targets specific types of organic compounds, including chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), light hydrocarbons such as gasoline, as well as certain toxic organics such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).  Purus Organics System will also remove metals that are attached to organic compounds.

Purus Polishing Systems – Bacteria

Purus Bacteria Systems are a non-chemical gravity flow disinfection technology that kills bacteria, viruses and protozoa through a physical process. Stormwater bacteria disinfected by Purus Bacteria Systems include E.coli and fecal coliform. Populations are typically disinfected to well below the benchmarks or action levels.

Purus Polishing Systems – Nitrate

Typically installed after Aquip Filtration Technology in a “treatment train” configuration, Purus Nitrate Systems target particulate and soluble nitrite and nitrate in stormwater. This system is ideal for industries where nitrogen compounds are used or where organic materials are processed, such as aerospace, fabricated metal products, galvanizing, rubber & plastics, petroleum refining, food processing, solid waste, recycling and fertilizer manufacturing.

Newterra engineers will work with your staff to identify the best media for your particular application and needs recycling and fertilizer manufacturing.

ModelPollutant Type
BasicFine particulates, colloidal solids and turbidity
MetalsDissolved metals to the parts-per-billion range
OrganicsCategorical organics such as COD; toxic organics such as PCBs and PAHs; and dissolved organics such as petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and VOCs
BacteriaBacteria, such as E. coli and fecal coliform
NitrateIntermediary degradation product of organic nitrogen, ammonia and urea

Options:

  • Slipstream treatment configuration available
  • Freeze protection available

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