Traveling Bridge Filter
Precast Block System
"BranD X"
A friendly engineer sent another competitor (“Brand X”) presentation full of misinformation about nozzle-based underdrain systems. You may remember in February’s video chat, we clarified and countered a host of problems with a certain competitor presentation. Apparently, it touched a nerve as we received a lawyer letter from the competitor. They didn’t like a handful of things that were said in the 47-minute long video.
In 23 years and with 200 installations, Orthos has never once, ever, had a monolithic underdrain failure, which is a completely different experience than our competition. We focus on a new presentation slide not part of February’s deck. “Brand X” apparently attempts to show nozzle-based underdrain failures—the problem is that these are poor and invalid examples. They’ve evidently dug deep and wide and really should know better.
The left picture shows cell dividers of a traveling bridge filter. EIMCO, now OVIVO, used to sell several decades ago a nozzle-based traveling bridge filter mainly for wastewater tertiary treatment. Not really sure why they would think this picture is relevant today.
The middle picture shows a precast block style of nozzle-based underdrains. These blocks are arranged side-by-side, grouted in-between, and cinched down with hold-down hardware to create a suspended floor underdrain. This technology is mainly used in second and third-world countries where enough consistent-quality concrete mix cannot be found to pour a monolithic floor. The grout in-between the pre-cast blocks, much like the grout in-between plastic block underdrain laterals, is a point of repeated failure. It also appears in this picture that a one-inch skim coat was poured, which wasn’t a good idea. This picture is not a monolithic underdrain system such as the resilient Orthos Centurion™, so we’re not sure why they included this picture either.
The bottom picture admittedly took us a little while to figure out. After contacting a well-experienced colleague in Europe, he pointed out that this is a pipe lateral system with a failure of the central channel—he’s seen some of these over there. It appears that the riser tubes, not nozzles, are embedded in concrete above the laterals. This is really a poor design and it’s no wonder that it blew up. With no nozzles and being a pipe lateral system, we seriously question why “Brand X” would believe this picture is relevant.
We urge those in our water/wastewater industry to not deceive their clients with disparaging competitive information that isn’t even relevant or valid. Orthos clients value our resiliency, reliability, and permanency.
RESILIENT - RELIABLE - SUSTAINABLE - PERMANENT
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Remember Orthos’ HUGE life cycle cost benefits– At the end of the filter’s life cycle (~25 years), in contrast to a complete plastic block or folded sheet metal underdrain overhaul, nozzles are simply replaced
potentially saving $Millions.