Recycled Water Makes The Grass Greener Atop Vancouver Convention Centre
The Problem
Vancouver is one of North America's leading meeting and convention destinations due mostly to its direct accessibility throughout North America and its equidistant location from Europe and Asia.
The Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre (VCEC), originally opened in 1987, is a first class facility with more than 150,000 square feet of exhibit, ballroom, and meeting space. However, the convention centre is consistently at maximum capacity with an obvious need for additional space.
In October 2004, the VCEC began construction of a 1.1 million square foot expansion which will triple the convention centre's existing capacity creating additional space for meetings and conventions. Scheduled for completion in 2008, the expansion will meet LEED™ Gold certification, incorporating many environmental innovations, including water conservation, to limit the impact on the local environment.
The Solution
In keeping with their goal to achieve LEED™ Gold certification, the VCEC selected ZENON to supply an on-site wastewater reuse system as one of its green building features. The system consists of ZENON Z-MOD™ systems for gray and black water treatment, which incorporates a ZeeWeed® MBR (membrane bioreactor). ZeeWeed® MBR combines the proven activated sludge process with the physical barrier characteristic of ultrafi ltration (UF) membranes.
The system will treat 100 percent of the wastewater that is produced in the building, and the effluent will be recycled for flush fixtures and irrigation of a 6 acre living roof.
The Process
The 20,000 gpd (76 m3/d) on site wastewater treatment, storage and reuse system is located indoors next to the Exhibit Hall.
The influent is first directed to the anoxic chamber for denitrification, then to the bioreactor where active bacteria consume or digest the biodegradable waste, and finally to the ZeeWeed® UF chamber. Permeate pumps are used to gently pull the wastewater through thousands of membrane fibers. Each fiber is filled with billions of microscopic pores that physically block suspended solids, bacteria and viruses from passing through—guaranteeing an exceptional water quality and clarity on a continuous basis. The treated water then flows through an activated carbon filter, and ultraviolet units for further disinfection. The sanitized, finished water flows to the water storage tank for use as flush water and for irrigation.
SOURCE: GE Water & Process Technologies - ZENON Membrane Solutions