NEW Fox Pac Manual.pdf

Fox Pac Marine Sanitation Device (MSD)

Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual

1513B Chemin Agreable Road Youngsville, Louisiana 70592

Telephone (337) 856-3709 / Fax (337) 856-9151 Email: sales@redfoxenviro.com Home: www.redfoxenviro.com

Section 1

Specification Data Sheet

Section 2

Principles of Operation

Section3

Installation of Treatment Unit

Section 4

Commissioning Procedures

Section 5

Treatment Unit Operation

Section 6

Taking the Unit Out of Service

Section 7

Maintenance

Section 8

Sewage Treatment Unit Testing & Performance

Section 9

Troubleshooting

Section 10

Paint System

Section 11

Equipment Information

Section 12

Suggested Biological Treatments, Supplemental & Cleaning Products

Section 13

Structural & Electrical Drawings

Section 14

Vendor Data

Section 15 Unit Certification

Section 2

Principles of Operations

2.1 DEFINITIONS

2.2 PROCESS PRINCIPLES

2.3 OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF A FOX PAC

2.1 DEFINITIONS

The following terms are related to the biological sewage treatment process:

AEROBIC SEWAGE TREATMENT: Digestion of organic matter when the environment has a presence of oxygen. The byproducts from this process are CO2 and H2O. This is the type of process that the Red Fox Wastewater Treatment Unit utilizes.

AEROBIC BIOLOGICAL MEDIA FILTRATION TREATMENT PROCESS: A process utilized by the redFox® Fox Pac Marine Sanitation Device to treat domestic wastewater.

See Sections 2.2 and 2.3 for a complete description of the entire process.

ANAEROBIC SEWAGE TREATMENT: Digestion of organic matter when the environment has an absence of oxygen. The byproducts from this treatment process are CH4 and H2S.

BACTERIA: Microscopic one-celled animals that commonly utilize the organic compounds found in soil, sewage, and water as food supply.

BIODEGRADATION: The process of digesting waste through the use of microorganisms in the wastewater to convert unstable materials into stable compounds.

BLACKWATER: Sewage that contains only human waste from toilets and urinals.

BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD): A measurement of the dissolved oxygen used by microorganisms in the biochemical oxidation (digestion) of organic matter.

The oxygen demand in water is created by: (1) organic compounds that act as sources of food for microorganisms (2) oxidizable nitrogen produced by nitrate, ammonia and organic nitrogen compounds, which also serve as food for bacteria.

BOD5: A standard laboratory test used to evaluate the potential for treated or untreated wastewater to absorb oxygen from the receiving body of water. BOD5 measures the quantity of oxygen used by bacteria in consuming organic matter in a sample of wastewater over a five-day period at a temperature of 68oF under aerobic conditions. The BOD5 test is widely accepted as the measurement of the pollutional strength of wastewater since it gives results in terms of dissolved oxygen that would be consumed if the wastewater were discharged into a natural body of water. The larger the BOD5 value the greater the pollution.

DISSOLVED OXYGEN: A compound freely available in water and is required to sustain aquatic life in bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes and oceans. Dissolved oxygen can become depleted by an accumulation of pollutants which draw dissolved oxygen from the water during the natural process of stabilizing pollutants.

Dissolved oxygen is an important factor when biologically treating wastewater aerobically, such as in a Red Fox unit. If the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water is not adequate, the aerobic bacteria will die, allowing the anaerobic bacteria to dominate.

EFFLUENT: Treated or untreated wastewater that flows from a process to the surrounding environment.

FECAL COLIFORM: A type of bacteria found in water pollution that is nonpathogenic (not disease causing) and is utilized as a guide to the presence of pathogenic (disease) causing bacteria. In wastewater, pathogenic bacteria are fewer in number and much harder to identify compared to fecal coliform. This is why fecal coliform is utilized as the guide to detect the likelihood of pathogenic organisms being present. It is assumed that if the wastewater is free of fecal coliform then it is free of pathogenic organisms.

FREE CHLORINE: Chlorine is often used in the disinfection process after the treatment of the wastewater but before it is discharged into the environment. A reading of free chlorine in the effluent exhibits a complete kill of pathogenic bacteria. This is because all of the chlorine required to disinfect the effluent has been converted to another substance, leaving only “free chlorine” molecules.

GRAY WATER: The wastewater from laundries, sinks, showers, washing machines, etc.

MARINE SANITATION DEVICE (MSD): Any device that is utilized to treat domestic wastewater (black or black and gray water) on a vessel is known as a marine sanitation device. The abbreviation of this term, which is common throughout this manual as well as the industry, is “MSD”.

NONBIODEGRADABLE: Substances that do not degrade using natural processes.

PATHOGENIC BACTERIA: Those bacteria carried by feces that are capable of producing diseases in man, animals and plants.

pH: A value used to indicate the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. The range of values for pH is 1-14. A value of 1 is the extreme reading of an acid solution. A value of 14 would be the extreme reading for a caustic solution while an indication of 7 is a neutral solution.

Aerobic bacteria, which are the bacteria utilized by the Red Fox Units, in a biological system will begin to die if their environment becomes too acidic or too caustic. The allowable range of pH for an aerobic biological sewage system is 6.5 – 9.0.

PPM (PARTS PER MILLION). The units ppm and mg/l (milligrams per liter) can be used interchangeably.

SLUDGE: A homogenous matter in a biological sewage treatment unit consisting primarily of microorganisms, non-biodegradable solids, and organic waste material.

TSS (TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS): The total amount of particulate matter suspended in the fluid is TSS. A high TSS in the effluent can cause detrimental environmental effects such as blocking light essential for the growth of algae, as well as clogging fish gills. A high value is usually an indication of high BOD5 because of suspended organic sludge carry-over. The value of TSS is determined by laboratory testing.

2.2 PROCESS PRINCIPLES

Naturally occurring (naturally present in the wastewater) aerobic bacteria are used for biological sewage treatment systems in the majority of municipal applications. This is the chosen process because it has been proven through decades of usage and is more economical than alternate methods. Because of the proven effectiveness of aerobic biological treatment on wastewater, all redFox® wastewater treatment units utilize this principle. The key feature of the biological wastewater treatment process is the microorganisms (mostly bacteria) that remove the organic pollutants from domestic wastewater. When the wastewater is placed in the proper environment, such as a redFox® sewage treatment unit, these microorganisms reduce the organic pollutant of domestic wastewater very effectively and efficiently. The microorganisms actually utilize (consume) the organic pollutants in the wastewater as their energy source (food) for their cell activity (life).

Another naturally occurring biological process utilized for wastewater treatment is through the use of anaerobic bacteria. This process occurs when there is a lack of oxygen present in the wastewater. The anaerobic treatment process has not been widely used to treat wastewater because the process releases explosive gases (methane and hydrogen sulfide) and offensive odors. It requires longer retention time (larger tankage) than aerobic treatment systems.

The preferred microorganisms for the treatment of wastewater are the oxygen-requiring aerobic bacteria which are utilized in redFox® wastewater treatment systems. Aerobic bacteria rapidly consume the organic waste material in the sewage and release carbon dioxide and water vapor as by-products of their respiration and synthesis process. This does not result in an odor or explosive hazard.

An aerobic sewage treatment process will convert to an anaerobic process if the air supply is cut off for twelve to thirty-six hours. The sewage will become septic and turn black as the solids disintegrate and decompose. The dissolved oxygen levels gradually decrease and produce hydrogen sulfide, causing strong odors to be emitted. However, the process will revert back to an aerobic process within 12 to 24 hours after the air supply has been restored.

The Fox Pac Marine Sanitation Device utilizes an aerobic biological treatment process commonly known as “aerobic biological media filtration”. A complete description of this process is described in Section 2.3.

2.3 OPERATION PRINCIPLES OF A FOX PAC

Three separate operations 1) aeration, 2) clarification and 3) disinfection which are involved in the “aerobic biological media filtration” process utilized by the redFox® Fox Pac Marine Sanitation Device (MSD). The principles of these operations are explained within this section.

See Figure 2.3.1 for component identification by number and schematic illustration of the process.

The Fox Pac Style MSD is offered in (2) different arrangements 1) one tank or 2) two tank configurations depending on the model or options ordered with the unit. The following illustration of the process is shown as a (2) tank arrangement with the primary chamber containing the AERATION CHAMBER (1) and MEDIA CHAMBER (4) and the secondary chamber containing the DISINFECTION CHAMBER (7). If your unit is a single tank configuration Fox Pac, the same exact principles apply with the only difference being that the secondary chamber is structurally connected to the primary chamber, see Section 13 for your General Arrangement drawing showing your unit’s exact configuration. In some cases, depending on your model/size/options, your unit might contain (1) media chamber in lieu of the shown dual media chamber configuration as shown in Figure 2.3.1.

Figure 2.3.1

The first operation is the aeration process. The raw sewage enters into the AERATION CHAMBER (1) which starts the first stage of the process. In the aeration chamber, the incoming raw sewage is mixed with water that contains a large concentration of very active aerobic bacteria that consume the organic waste material in the sewage.

Air flowing up through the liquid from the DIFFUSERS (2) via AIR BLOWER (10) or optional utility air connection provides the necessary amount of oxygen required by the bacteria for their respiration and digestion process. The airflow through the liquid also provides the agitation necessary to keep the large solids from settling on the bottom and helps break up solid waste material in the sewage into smaller particles. The air discharged from the surface of the liquid in the aeration chamber is vented to the atmosphere through a VENT LINE CONNECTION (3).

The bacteria in the aeration chamber will stick together in little flakes of sludge called a biofloc that becomes uniformly mixed in with the water as a result of the agitation caused by air flow from the diffusers. This floc cannot be discharged from the unit, because it is also an organic pollutant. However, it is easy to physically separate the floc from the water during the treatment process. This separation process is the second stage of the operation.

The second operation is clarification process. As new liquid enters into the sewage treatment unit, the liquid in the aeration chamber is displaced by gravity displacement and allows an equal volume of fluid to flow from the aeration chamber into the MEDIA CHAMBER (5). As the liquid enters the media chamber, settling of the sludge occurs at the bottom of the media chamber due to a volume change causing the slowing of the upward velocity of the liquid and settling of the heavier solids. The remaining sludge and waste material in the liquid will be removed as the liquid flows up and around the BIOLOGICAL MEDIA ELEMENTS (4). The solids and biofloc are then separated from the clear water in the biological media. The biological media physically traps the solids and biofloc in between and on the surface of the media. The solids/waste material trapped on the media surface is eventually consumed by the bacteria through biodegradation. By the time the liquid reaches the top of the biological media, it has passed by and over the several layers of individual media. This ensures that the sludge and waste removal process is completed and clear water is the result of the process.

The third operation is disinfection. There are many different forms of disinfection available with the Fox Pac (hypochloride generation, ozoneation and UV), but the liquid chlorine mixture disinfection process is the most popular thus utilized for this process explanation. This is not necessarily applicable to your application, see Section 11 for your exact disinfection option and principles of operation for your option. The accumulated CLARIFIED WATER (6) from the top of the media chamber is eventually displaced by flow into the DISINFECTION CHAMBER (7). The water is collected in the disinfection chamber and held in retention for 30 minutes with active chlorine to insure a complete kill of all bacteria. The active chlorine is injected into the disinfection chamber from the CHEMICAL TANK (8) which stores the chemical mixture. The injection rate is controlled by either a metering valve or an injection pump depending on your option, see Section 11 for our exact option. The clear disinfected water is then discharged overboard through an overboard DISCHARGE CONNECTION (9).

Discharge can be accomplished either by gravity flow or an optional discharge pumping system depending on the elevation of the sewage treatment unit in relation to the final discharge point, see Section 11 for a good explanation of the discharge pump system if your unit was ordered with such.

Section 3

Installation of Treatment Unit

3.1 L IFTING/HANDLING THE UNIT

3.2 SELECTING THE UNIT’S LOCATION

3.3 ANCHORING DOWN THE UNIT

3.4 UNIT INLET AND OUTLET COLLECTION

ARRANGEMENTS

3.5 INSTALLING THE CROSSOVER HOSE

3.6 VENT CONNECTIONS

3.7 DRAIN PIPING

3.8 ELECTRICAL CONNECTION

3.9 AIR CONNECTION

3.1 LIFTING/HANDLING THE UNIT

Depending on your model and design, some Fox Pacs are constructed in (2) tanks and others are constructed as a single tank, see Section 13 for your unit drawing/arrangement. All Red Fox treatment units, with the exception the fiberglass models, incorporates padeyes for the lifting and handling of the equipment. A typical lifting arrangement drawing for the treatment unit as a single tank configuration is shown in Figure 3.1.1 and Figure

3.1.2 for the dual tank arrangement. The number of padeyes provided with each tank and configuration varies, but the number of padeyes for your exact unit is shown in the General Arrangement drawing located in Section 13. If the tank(s) is only supplied with (2) padeyes, then a (2) part sling must be utilized. If your tank(2) is supplied with (4) padeyes, then a (4) part sling must be utilized. The important detail is to keep the slings at a maximum angle of 60o as shown in Figures 3.1.1 and 3.1.2 to avoid side loading the padeyes.

The sizing of the shackles and slings must be in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer of the lifting devices for the dry weight(s) given in Section 1. Ensure that all of the fluid is drained from each compartment of the unit before it is lifted.

The fiberglass model treatment units are designed as light weight items and do not require lifting devices. These can be handled easily by hand and placed into location with (2) people.

3.2 SELECTING THE UNIT’S LOCATION

Special care should be taken when choosing the treatment unit’s location. The unit should be installed on a level area with the capability for supporting the weight of the unit when in operation, see Section 1 for this information. The location should also be adequately ventilated. Depending on your model and design, some units are constructed as a dual tank configuration with a crossover hose connecting the (2) chambers and others are constructed as a single tank configuration not requiring a crossover hose, see Section 13 for your unit drawing/arrangement. When choosing the unit’s location for the dual tank configuration, ensure that the appropriate space is allowed to make the proper hose connection between the (2) chambers, see Section 3.4.

Adequate space must be allowed around and above the unit for the necessary access to all equipment for maintenance as well as inspection hatches. The actual maintenance envelope is left to the owner’s discretion but care should be taken to provide proper access for the items mentioned within this section, Section 7 and Section 11.

The redFox® Fox Pac treatment system works best and reduces possible maintenance issues when placed in a gravity inflow and outlet flow condition, see Section 3.4 for a complete description of this issue. With this in mind, consideration of this issue should be taken into account when locating the treatment unit.

3.3 ANCHORING DOWN THE UNIT

The unit should be fastened in its location so that the motion of the vessel does not cause the location of the unit to shift. There are (3) suggested ways of fastening the unit 1) welding, 2) clips and 3) bolting.

If your unit is manufactured out of fiberglass, skip to the last paragraph of this section.

The 1st anchoring option, welding, can be accomplished by actually welding the unit’s skid to the vessel’s deck or foundation supporting the unit.

A complete fillet weld around the perimeter of the skid to the deck is not necessary but redFox® recommends at least spot fillet welds between the deck/foundation 3” long every 3’ of skid length with a minimum of (1) fillet on each side of the skid, see Figure 3.3.1 for a typical welding detail. After welding the skid to the deck, paint repairs must be conducted to the unit as per the enclosed paint repair procedures located in Section 10.

The 2nd anchoring option, clips, allows the owner to actually design their own fastener connection of the units skid to the deck. A typical clip detail is shown in Figure 3.3.2. redFox® suggest locating at least (8) clips on each skid with (2) per side per skid. redFox® can provide these clips as an option if requested with the unit. If the unit was ordered with this option, a drawing of the anchoring clips would be provided in Section 13.

The 3rd anchoring option, bolting, allows redFox® to design a bolt pattern into the skid. The skid of the unit would then be placed over existing studs on the vessel’s foundation and fastened in place. If the MSD was ordered with this option, then a drawing of this bolt pattern would be provided in Section 13.

If your unit is manufactured out of fiberglass, mounting pads have been provided but the drilling of the holes in the pads are left to the installer to accomplish. A suggested bolting plan for the fiberglass models are provided in Section 13.

3.4 UNIT INLET AND OUTLET COLLECTION ARRANGEMENTS

Gravity collection of sewage into the sewage treatment unit and gravity flow of the effluent out of the unit is the best arrangement if feasible. Figure 3.4.1 of this section shows a typical gravity collection and discharge piping arrangement. This arrangement will eliminate the need for pump(s) reducing maintenance requirements. All galley drains if piped to the unit should have a grease trap so that grease residue from the kitchen does not reach the unit. Consult your redFox® representative for the proper sizing and purchase of the correct grease trap.

Avoiding the necessity of having to pump the influent into the unit is strongly recommended. Keeping the hydraulic shear forces in the media bed as low as possible helps to insure that the biological floc and sludge (organic pollutants) are trapped in the media bed do not break free and eventually end up as part of the effluent defeating the purpose of the treatment process. When pumping influent into the unit, hydraulic surges can occur resulting in high fluid velocities in the media chamber creating hydraulic shear forces over the allowable required for proper operation thus creating carry over of sludge and the biological floc into the effluent.

Even though pumping fluid into the Fox Pac is not recommended and should be avoided if possible, there might be unavoidable occasions that the sewage treatment unit inlet elevation is higher than the sewage collection header and gravity flow of the influent into the unit is not feasible thus requiring a lift station to pump the influent into the unit. If this is the occasion, redFox® must be consulted so that we can custom design an influent lift station that has the ability of pumping fluid to the unit without creating hydraulic surges. In these cases, the recommended piping arrangement drawings would be incorporated into Section 13.

If the unit’s discharge connection elevation does not allow for gravity of the effluent out of the unit, then the unit can be fitted with a discharge pump(s) and the necessary controls to give it the ability to pump the effluent out of the unit. Figure 3.4.2 gives a recommended piping diagram for this situation.

When designing the piping connections to and from the unit, consult the unit’s General Arrangement drawing shown in Section 13. This drawing gives the details of the inlet and outlet connection types and sizes. If an influent station has been ordered with the unit, the General Arrangement drawing giving the inlet and outlet connection types and sizes can also be found in Section 13.

3.5 INSTALLING THE CROSSOVER HOSE (applicable for the 2 tank configuration only)

As mentioned before, depending on your model and design, some Fox Pacs are constructed as a dual or single tank configuration, see Section 13 for your unit drawing/arrangement. The dual tank configuration requires the installation of a crossover hose from the primary chamber (larger chamber) to the secondary chamber (smaller chamber). The unit is supplied with the hose and all of the necessary connections, see Section 13 for the General Arrangement drawing to locate the (2) connection points and general path of the hose. When installing this crossover hose, insure that the hose makes long sweep bends eliminating the possibility of kinks in the hose after connection. The primary tank connection must be higher than the secondary tank connection with the hose following a path that ensures gravity flow of the fluid from the primary chamber to the secondary chamber.

3.6 VENT CONNECTION

The unit has (2) vent connections that must be connected, see Section 13 for the MSD’s General Arrangement drawing to locate these connection points along with their type and size. The size of the piping leading from the unit should not be reduced. The vent line piping should terminate at a point open to the atmosphere (weather deck). When designing the piping run, steps should be taken to avoid any piping loops that could work as a p-trap stopping air from escaping the unit. The straighter the piping run from the MSD the longer the vent will function without causing problems. The unit is designed structurally, as per the USCG Type II regulations, for a water column of 7’ of head above the unit’s vent connection. Due to this fact, vent runs should not be taller than 7’ or possible structural problems might be incurred in the future. Consult redFox® or your redFox® representative for your available options if it is not possible to reach a weather deck within a 7’ of rise. The USCG as well as vessel classification societies have rules and regulations that govern MSD ventilation that should also be considered.

3.7 DRAIN PIPING

The Fox Pac will require periodic cleaning of the MSD as described in Section 7, thus a means for draining the unit has been provided. The aeration chamber and disinfection chambers on the MSD contains a drain connection, see Section 13 for the connection type and size. Most redFox® treatment units are not supplied with a discharge header or any type of valving at the drain connection upon order. The General Arrangement drawing in Section 13 will show the details of the unit’s discharge arrangement as ordered. The actual piping arrangement for the draining of the unit is the operator/owners discretion, but should be arranged to drain the unit within the environmental regulations of the area of the vessel’s operation when conducting the cleaning process. Red Fox does suggest installing a drain manifold or at least a drain valve for each drain connection if the unit was not ordered with such. A good suggestion when designing the manifold, if a discharge pump was required in order to discharge the effluent, is to allow the means of draining by gravity the aeration and media chamber into the disinfection chamber so that the fluid contained in the aeration and media chambers as well as the wash water can be pumped by the unit’s discharge pump. A suggested piping arrangement for the drain connections/manifolds is provided in Figure 3.7.1.

3.8 ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS

Most redFox® treatment units will require electrical power to operate. The electrical power requirements are given in Section 1. If electrical power is required, an electrical wiring diagram can be found in Section 13. This diagram will give the electrical connection points needed to install the treatment unit as well as the electrical design of the control panel(s). The electrical supply should be connected to a current protection device properly sized for the amperage draw given in Section 1.

3.9 AIR CONNECTION

Some redFox® treatment units utilize utility air in place of the air blower system or as a backup system to the air blower system. The utility air system on redFox® treatment units consist of an air filter/dryer and air pressure regulator. This utility air system is to be connected to the facilities utility air system consisting of an air supply range of 80 to 150 psi. The actual utility air connection size and type can be found on the unit’s General Arrangement drawing located in Section 13. The amount of air required and pressure the unit operates at after the pressure regulator can be found in Section 1.

Section 4

Commissioning Procedures

4.1 PREPARING THE UNIT FOR START-UP

4.2 STARTING-UP THE AIR SYSTEM (Air Blower Option)

4.3 STARTING-UP THE AIR SYSTEM (Utility Air Option)

4.4 STARTING-UP THE EFFLUENT DISCHARGE PUMP

SYSTEM (Optional)

4.1 PREPARING THE UNIT FOR START-UP

As described in the second paragraph of Section 2.3, the Fox Pac style MSDs come in single and dual tank configurations. Each component for the single tank configuration can be identified in Figure 4.1.1 and components for the dual tank configuration is identified in Figure 4.1.2, see Section 1 for your tank configuration and your units General Arrangement Drawing located in Section 13 for your exact layout. This Section marks all components found in Figure 4.1.1 and 4.1.2 bolded and marked with a component identification letter.

1. Check the drain plugs (A) on each chamber to ensure they are tight.

If the unit is equipped with a drain manifold, ensure that all drain valves (B) are closed.

2. Open the media chamber air purge valve(s) (C). Smaller units will have (1) purge valve, medium size tanks will have (2) and the larger tanks will have (4). See your units General Arrangement Drawing located in Section 13 to located the number of air purge valves on your unit.

3. Open the aeration chamber hatch

(D) and disinfection chamber hatch (E) and fill the unit through the aeration chamber hatch opening with water utilizing a hose/water source having the same characteristics (fresh or salt water) as that used in the sanitary system.

Do not fill the unit with untreated sewage!! Close the media chamber air purge valve(s) (C) once all air has vented from the media chamber(s) (F) and fluid starts to seep out of the valve(s). Stop filling the unit once the water begins to flow into the disinfection chamber (G).

If your unit has an effluent discharge pump system, then skip steps 4 and 5 and move onto Section 4.2.

4. Replace the disinfection chamber hatch (E).

5. Start-up/initiate the disinfection system at this point. See Section 1 for your type of disinfection system supplied with the treatment unit and Section 11 for your guide to preparing and starting-up the disinfection system.

4.2 STARTING-UP THE AIR SYSTEM (Air Blower Option)

The Red Fox treatment system is offered with different types of air supply options. Check Section 1 of this manual for your type of air supply and Section 11 for operational procedures. If your unit contains a utility air connection in lieu of an air blower, then skip this section and proceed with Section 4.3. If your unit contains an air blower system, then proceed with the following steps. Some units contain both an air blower system and utility air system as backup.

If your unit contains both, then proceed with the following steps and then Section 4.3 after completing Section 4.2.

Each component for the single tank configuration can be identified in Figure 4.1.1 and components for the dual tank configuration is identified in Figure 4.1.2. This Section marks all components found in Figure 4.1.1 and 4.1.2 are bolded and marked with a component identification letter.

1. Prepare the air supply system for startup as described in Section 11.

2. Turn on the electrical supply power to the unit.

3. Following the procedures for the control panel located in Section 11, turn on the power to the blower and immediately ensure the blower is operating in correct rotation (see Section 11 blower information for the proper blower rotation direction). If the blower is turning in the wrong direction, immediately turn off the blower and make the proper electrical wiring corrections to get the correct blower rotation.

4. Adjust the main air diffuser valve (H) until a constant agitation and gentle uniform rolling motion is present throughout the aeration chamber.

5. Close the aeration chamber hatch (D) at this time if your unit does not have a utility air backup system.

6. Close the disinfection chamber hatch (E) at this time if your unit does not have an optional effluent discharge pump system.

4.3 STARTING-UP THE AIR SYSTEM (Utility Air Connection Option)

The Red Fox treatment system is offered with many different types of air supply options. Check Section 1 of this manual for your type of air supply and Section 11 for operational procedures. If your unit contains a utility air system as backup to the main air blower system, ensure the blower is turned off before conducting the following steps. If your unit does not contain a utility air connection, then skip this section and move onto Section 4.4.

Each component mentioned is shown in bold and can be identified in Figure 4.3.1.

1. Open the air supply valve (I) to the unit’s utility air system.

2. Adjust the air regulator (J) until a constant agitation and gentle uniform rolling motion is present throughout the aeration chamber. An air pressure gauge (K) is provided as an indicator/guide to the required air pressure helping the adjustment process (see Section 1 for the pressure requirement), but the actual pressure and volume required is driven by the necessary properties to achieve the required aeration fluid agitation.

3. If the utility air is a backup air supply, close air supply valve (I) and place the air blower system back on line as directed in Section 4.2.

4. Close the aeration chamber hatch (D).

4.4 STARTING-UP THE EFFLUENT DISCHARGE PUMP SYSTEM (Optional)

The Fox Pac MSD does offer an optional discharge pump system, see Section 1 for you type of discharge pump system and Section 11 for the operational procedure if applicable. If your unit contains a discharge pump system, conduct the following steps. If your unit does not contain an effluent discharge pumping system, then skip this section and move onto to Section 5.

Each component for the single tank configuration can be identified in Figure 4.1.1 and components for the dual tank configuration is identified in Figure 4.1.2. This section marks all components found in Figure 4.1.1 and 4.1.2 are bolded and marked with a component identification letter.

1. Place the control panel in auto mode as described in Section 11 for the discharge pump system.

2. Add water to the disinfection chamber through the disinfection chamber hatch (E) opening.

Allow the water to fill the disinfection chamber until the discharge pump system has completed a whole cycle as described in the operation principles of the discharge pump system located in Section 11. This is a good way to check the proper operation of the discharge system

3. Replace the disinfection chamber hatch (E).

4. Start-up/initiate the disinfection system at this point. See Section 1 for your type of disinfection system supplied with the treatment unit and Section 11 for your guide to preparing and starting-up the disinfection system.

Section 5

Treatment Unit Operation

5.1 WHY IS WASTEWATER TREATMENT REQUIRED

5.2 PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

5.3 OPERATION OF THE UNIT

5.4 CLEANING CHEMICALS

5.5 CLEANING THE MEDIA BED

5.1 WHY IS WASTEWATER TREATMENT REQUIRED

Untreated domestic wastewater contains organic pollutants (unstable compounds requiring an oxygen molecule to become stable) that are harmful to the environment by 1) removing the necessary dissolved oxygen required to support aquatic life through the conversion of the pollutant to a stable compound and 2) by releasing harmful pathogenic (disease causing) bacteria to the environment. The TSS, BOD5 and coliform (see Section 2.1 for these definitions) levels of typical untreated domestic wastewater range from 350 mg/l to 1200 mg/l, 110 mg/l to 400 mg/l and 106 count/100 ml to 109 count/100 ml respectively. The purpose of utilizing a wastewater treatment device is to reduce these levels of TSS, BOD5 and coliform to acceptable levels governed by the regulator authority in your area of operation. There are many regulatory bodies that offer guidelines and a few of the popular agency guidelines are listed in Section 8.5.

Consult your local environmental regulatory authority or enforcement agency for your territory discharge guidelines.

5.2 PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

The Fox Pac Wastewater Treatment unit operates on a principle called “aerobic biological media filtration”. Sections 2.2 and 2.3 gives a detailed description of the theoretical aspects of the process as it relates to the Fox Pac units and should be read and fully understood before reading through the following Sections.

5.3 OPERATION OF THE UNIT

The Fox Pac Treatment unit as with all biological units takes (3) to (5) days before the biological process becomes efficient and approximately (7) days to reach its peak efficiency and performance capabilities. As the efficiency of the process increases, the TSS and BOD5 readings of the effluent will drop accordingly.

In the aeration chamber, four important activities happen. The 1st is the introduction of the raw sewage (unit influent). The introduction of air into the chamber accomplishes three activities which consist of 1) keeping the solids in suspension thus maintaining the fluid as a complete homogeneous mixture, 2) agitation of the fluid helping to break down the solids in size and 3) adding oxygen to the fluid keeping the mixture and process biologically aerobic. At full efficiency, the aeration chamber should have a medium chocolate brown color with little or no foam or floating material on the surface.

The most important activity of the whole process, separation of organics and bacteria from the water, happens in the media chamber. This chamber operates under a head pressure allowing the fluid to stay still even with the vessel’s motion. As the fluid moves into the media chamber, the biological media in the chamber will trap and collect the solids and bacteria on the surface area of the media. The bacteria present on the surface of the media as well as the bacteria present with the solids will then consume/biodegrade the organic solids converting them to a stable and environmentally friendly compound (H2O and CO2). The clear water will rise to the top of the media chamber and eventually be displaced to the disinfection chamber. The water displaced into the disinfection chamber should be crystal-clear quality with no murkiness or solid particles visibly present.

The last process is the disinfection process. There are many options for disinfection on a Fox Pac, consult Section 1 for your type and Section 11 for the details of its operation.

5.4 CLEANING CHEMICALS

As explained throughout this manual, the Red Fox Sewage Treatment system operates on a biological process based off of the life and activities of aerobic bacteria. The Red Fox system was designed to support the life of these bacteria and keep them in the healthiest environment as possible so they can thrive and function as required.

An important issue besides the mechanical and biological functions of the unit is the quality of flushing water utilized to carry the waste to the unit. The most important factor of this issue is controlling the type of cleaning chemicals that end up in the water that carries the waste to the unit. All chemicals that end up in the wastewater stream that is treated by the Red Fox unit must be free of bleach, ammonia as well as pH balanced and biological friendly. The education of this topic to the crew and especially the galley support personnel is essential to the performance of the wastewater treatment unit. If cleaning chemicals end up in the unit that contain bleach, ammonia and not pH neutral, the aerobic bacteria activities will drastically decrease if not die off completely resulting in very poor effluent quality from the unit. Once the fluid is allowed to become pH balanced and free of harmful chemicals, the aerobic bacteria will repopulate the unit rebuilding the process efficiency over time much like the initial startup of the unit as mentioned in Section 5.3.

Another chemical issue that is not detrimental to the process but a nuisance is the usage of detergents that cause foaming. Since the aeration chamber is constantly agitated, the wrong types of cleaning products can cause surface foaming in the aeration chamber which cause maintenance on the unit difficult.

Red Fox does market the proper cleaning chemicals which are non-foaming, bleach free, ammonia free, phosphate free as well as pH balanced and biologically friendly. See Section 12 for a complete description of the Red Fox Cleaning Chemical Product Line. You are not required to use the Red Fox Cleaning Chemical product line, but you must insure that the cleaning chemicals being used are friendly to the aerobic bacteria and contain the same properties described in the Red Fox Cleaning chemical line.

5.5 CLEANING THE MEDIA BED

The media bed contained in the media chamber will require periodic cleaning. It is very difficult to calculate the exact duration of time required between cleanings because of the numerous variables involved in the calculations. The recommended way of determining when to clean the media bed is by monitoring the TSS levels of the effluent. As the effluent TSS levels reach the maximum allowable for your area of operation, cleaning of the media bed would be required.

See Section 8 instructions for directions on effluent TSS testing.

In order to clean the media bed, turn off the blower, disinfection system and discharge pump.

All chambers of the unit must then be drained of fluid, remember that the fluid does contain a high concentration of bacteria and organic pollutants and may need to be collected and disposed of (familiarize yourself with the environmental regulations in your area). Remove the aeration, media and disinfection chamber hatches from the unit. Wear rubber gloves when cleaning/washing out the unit. Remove the top media screen. Use a water hose with a good amount of water pressure, wash off the media allowing the solids to drain to the bottom of the chamber. As you wash, use the rod to stir the media to ensure a complete cleaning of the media.

Wash out the solids in the aeration and disinfection chamber after washing the media bed. Place the media screen back over the media and fasten the media chamber hatch back to the unit.

Follow the instructions in Section 4 from this point to guide you through the refilling and starting up of the unit.

Section 6

Taking the Unit Out of Service

6.1 GENERAL PRESERVATION INFORMATION

6.2 WET LAY-UP (Temporary)

6.3 DRY LAY-UP (Extended Period)

6.1 GENERAL PRESERVATION INFORMATION

If the unit is to be taken off line (not receive any wastewater) for a period of time, a preservation procedure should be followed. There are (2) preservation options that can be accomplished, wet lay-up or dry lay-up.

6.2 WET LAY-UP (Temporary Shut Down)

If the unit is to be taken off line for a period of time less than (3) months and the option of draining the fluid is not desired, a wet lay-up can be accomplished. To accomplish the wet lay-up the following steps must be followed.

1. Insure that the sewage is not allowed to flow into the unit by diverting the influent flow or shutting down any water source that could end up in the unit.

2. Maintain the air supply to the sewage treatment unit for (18) days after diverting or stopping the influent into the unit. This will allow for the aerobic bacteria to completely degrade the organic matter and prevent the fluid from becoming septic after the air is turned off. Never allow sewage to flow into the unit with the air supply shut off. If the sewage becomes septic (anaerobic), explosive gases and offensive odors will be produced as well as the lowering the fluid pH level to an acidic value which is harmful to the interior paint system.

3. The disinfection system must be shut down and preservation accomplished as per the procedures given in disinfection system equipment segment of Section 11.

4. The air supply can be shut down after (18) days. The preservation procedures for the air system, see air system equipment segment of Section 11, must be followed if it is going to be laid up longer than (2) weeks after the shut down.

6.3 DRY LAY-UP (Long Term Shut Down)

If the unit is to be taken off line for a period of time more than (3) months a dry lay-up procedure is suggested. To accomplish the dry lay-up procedure the following steps must be accomplished.

1. Insure that the sewage is not allowed to flow into the unit by diverting the influent flow or shutting down any water source that could end up in the unit.

2. Maintain the air supply to the sewage treatment unit until the fluid can be drained from the unit.

3. The disinfection system must be shut down and preservation accomplished as per the procedures given in disinfection system equipment segment of Section 11.

4. Drain/transfer the fluid in all (3) chambers from the unit completely via the unit’s drain connection/manifold into an approved sewage transfer and holding tank/facility. Open all of the hatches and rinse the unit and the media bed with clean water to remove all sewage, sludge, and sediment out of the tank. This wash water should also be drained/transferred into the holding tank/facility. Environmental regulations in your area of operation must be consulted on how to handle the collected fluid.

5. Accomplish the air system preservation by following the procedures given in the air system equipment segment of Section 11.

Section 7

Maintenance

7.1 GENERAL MAINTENANCE INFORMATION

7.2 DAILY OBSERVATION CHECKLIST

7.3 EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

7.4 PAINT SYSTEM INSPECTION/MAINTENANCE

7.1 GENERAL MAINTENANCE INFOMATION

The redFox® Environmental Sewage Treatment Units are designed for long-term durability and trouble free operation. However, in order to insure continuous and reliable performance, certain inspections and maintenance procedures must be performed as directed in the following.

7.2 DAILY OBSERVATION CHECKLIST

The following is a list of daily observations that should be made to help in determining if the unit is operating as designed and to its peak performance. These items should be conducted routinely to insure the unit does not convert to an anaerobic condition as well as avoid releasing effluent that does not meet the discharge requirement regulations. If any operation problems are detected, steps need to be taken in order to insure they are corrected immediately. While visual inspection is not in itself sufficient to insure proper operation, it will provide the operator with key indications of proper or improper plant operation.

Operation/Component Action Air Supply Check to insure the unit’s air supply is operating properly.

Liquid Drip Chlorinator (if applicable) See Section 1 for your type of disinfection option. If your unit was supplied with a liquid drip chlorination system, check to insure that the liquid level in the chemical tank is adequate. Addition of chlorine mixture to the chemical tank might be required. See Section 13 for guidance.

7.3 EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

The Fox Pac Treatment Units were designed with a low maintenance philosophy in mind by utilizing few mechanical devices and moving parts. Like any device that utilizes mechanical equipment, even though it is a few items, maintenance is required to insure long term durability, reliability and also to avoid termination of the warranty.

This schedule covers many options, so check Section 1 for the options your unit was provided with since some items listed may not be applicable to your application.

Operation/Component Action Frequency Roots Type Blower System Check the condition of the air filter(s), change Weekly (if applicable) prematurely if necessary (see Section 11).

Check belt tension and condition adjust if 6 Months necessary, change prematurely if necessary.

(See Section 11) Change belts (See Section 11). 6 Months Function and lubricate pressure relief valve. Weekly (See Section 11) Check blower oil level. Add oil as required. Weekly (See Section 11) Change blower oil (see Section 11). 3 Months

Operation/Component Action Frequency Regenative Blower System Check the condition of the air filter(s), change Weekly (if applicable) prematurely if necessary (see Section 11).

Change air filter(s) (See Section 11). 6 Months Function and lubricate pressure relief valve Weekly (See Section 11).

Utility Air Connection Dissemble the air filter/dryer and remove Weekly (if applicable) any trash and water that has accumulated (See Section 11).

Lubricate the regulator adjustment handle Weekly (See Section 11).

Media Chamber Purge the air from the media chamber Weekly (see Section 4.1)

Media Bed Cleaning of media bed (see Section 5.5). As required

7.4 PAINT SYSTEM INSPECTION/MAINTENANCE (Not applicable for the fiberglass models)

The exterior paint system of the unit should be inspected on a yearly basis and repaired if required according to the paint system provided in Section 10.

For the interior paint system, Red Fox suggest a paint inspection each time the media bed is cleaned or at least once a year. If any paint failure has occurred, the unit’s paint system would then need to be repaired according to the paint system provided in Section 10.

OPERATING THE REDFOX MSD UNIT

1. Open overboard discharge and sewage inlet valves

2. Turn on the electrical supply power to the unit control panel.

3. Place the blower position to on position and the discharge pump to auto position.

4. Open the media chamber air purge valve and close when no air is present

5. Check to insure the unit’s air supply is operating properly.

6. Check to insure that the liquid level in the chemical tank is adequate.

7. Flush toilets until the discharge pump activates

8. Verify chlorine ppm reading as needed.

Operation/Component Action Frequency Chlorine Drip Assy Check Level And Add As Needed 2-3 Days Blower System Check The Condition Of The Air Filter Weekly Relief Valve Function And Lubricate Pressure Relief Valve Weekly Media Bed Cleaning Of Media Bed 12 Months Exterior & Interior Paint Inspect Yearly

Rotary Lobe Blower Inspect Drive Belts Yearly (If Installed)

The Redfox Marine Series Unit Requires Annual / Yearly Periodic Cleaning.

CLEANING THE UNIT

1. Insure that the sewage is not allowed to flow into the unit by diverting the influent flow or shutting down any water source that could end up in the unit.

2. Maintain the air supply to the sewage treatment unit until the fluid can be drained from the unit.

3. The disinfection system must be shut down

4. All chambers of the unit must then be drained of fluid, remember that the fluid does contain a high concentration of bacteria and organic pollutants and may need to be collected and disposed of (familiarize yourself with the environmental regulations in your area).

5. Remove the aeration, clarification and media & disinfection chamber hatches from the unit.

Wear rubber gloves when cleaning / washing out the unit.

6. Use a water hose with a good amount of water pressure, wash off the all chamber walls and media allowing the solids to drain to the bottom of the chamber.

7. Install all hatches back to the unit.

8. Fill unit with H2O turn on air supply and activate chlorination system.

Section 8

Sewage Treatment Unit Testing and Performance

8.1 EVALUATION

8.2 FIELD TESTING

8.3 FIELD TEST FORM

8.4 LABORATORY ANALYSIS

8.5 SUMMARY OF REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS

8.1 EVALUATION

Periodically, testing of the effluent samples are taken and tested for two primary reasons:

1. Field Test – necessary for the operator in order for him know the efficiency of the system and make the proper adjustments if necessary. These are samples taken and tested on-site with packaged test kits.

2. Regulatory agency monitoring – required by regulatory agencies. These are effluent samples taken and sent to a 3rd party laboratory for analysis.

8.2 FIELD TESTING

The following are the suggested field test that need to be conducted to insure the unit is operating at its peak…