AquaPrime® Cloth Media Filter for Primary Filtration

Primary filtration is an emerging technology in wastewater treatment. Many plants are using it to completely replace conventional primary clarifiers, thereby reducing the organic load to the secondary treatment process, saving energy, and increasing plant capacity.
Primary filtration is an innovative wastewater treatment technology that can effectively remove suspended solids, fats, oils, and grease from wastewater using a cloth media filter.
The use of primary filtration technology can reduce the amount of organic matter that enters the secondary treatment process, resulting in a significant reduction in the energy required to treat wastewater. This is because the biological treatment process used in secondary treatment is more energy-efficient when treating wastewater with lower organic loads.
Moreover, primary filtration can increase the capacity of wastewater treatment plants by eliminating the need for primary clarifiers. Primary clarifiers are large, costly, and space-intensive tanks used in conventional wastewater treatment to settle suspended solids and allow them to be removed. By eliminating primary clarifiers, wastewater treatment plants can save space and reduce capital and operational costs.
Aqua-Aerobic’s AquaPrime® filters remove biological oxygen demand (BOD5) and volatile suspended solids (VSS) from raw wastewater, reducing activated sludge loading and increasing gas production in anaerobic digesters.
Wastewater treatment plants often need to increase treatment capacity but have limited space to install additional processes or equipment. The AquaPrime® filter can be a solution to this problem because it has a much smaller footprint than rectangular or circular clarifiers.
The AquaPrime® cloth media filter uses vertical disks with OptiFiber® pile cloth media to filter solids-laden wastewater without chemicals. The AquaPrime® is ideal for primary wastewater treatment due to its proven removal efficiencies and high-quality effluent, even under varying influent conditions.
BENEFITS
- Reduced energy costs in the secondary process due to a lower organic load
- A small footprint saves space
- Re-directs organic load to anaerobic digesters for increased gas production
- Improved effluent quality
- No chemicals required
- The low total cost of ownership

Primary filtration is a promising advancement in wastewater treatment that can improve the efficiency and sustainability of the wastewater treatment process.
PILOT TEST SYSTEMS
AquaPrime® pilot units are available to demonstrate the process at your facility, allowing you to validate performance, interact with the technology, and optimize the design.
Aqua-Aerobic’s application engineers will evaluate your project and develop the testing protocol to collect the data needed to provide you with comprehensive on-site testing and field data. In addition, Aqua-Aerobic’s pilot units offer prompt operational feedback, allowing immediate fine-tuning of operating parameters for the most effective pilot/demonstration experience.
Get hands-on experience, see the results, and choose the right equipment. Contact Envirep to learn more about pilot filters.
Click here to download a white paper on primary wastewater filtration.
Envirep/TLC Environmental is the sales rep for Aqua-Aerobic Systems in PA, NJ, DE, and MD.
By Mike Gillespie, President at Envirep, Inc.
Envirep is a manufacturer’s representative for manufacturers of equipment used to pump, treat and dispose of wastewater and biosolids. We also represent manufacturers of equipment used to pump, treat, distribute and store drinking (potable) water. Envirep serves the municipal and industrial water and wastewater market in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Washington DC, and Virginia.