Hydro Biofilter™ stormwater filtration system
Stormwater treatment

Hydro Biofilter

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Combine high performance and high amenity on residential and commercial stormwater treatment projects.

The Hydro Biofilter™ is an attractive and highly effective stormwater treatment system that removes the need for engineers and contractors to compromise on either performance or amenity on urban SuDS projects.

Using soil and engineered filter media to remove high levels of coarse, fine and dissolved pollutants from surface runoff, even during high flows, the low-footprint Hydro Biofilter™ is versatile, easy to install and easy to maintain, and increases urban amenity and biodiversity.

Download our E-Guide: How to Design a Hydro Biofilter for Urban Stormwater Treatment

Hydro Biofilter™ combines the simplicity of SuDS with the sophistication of smart engineering in a biofiltration system that uses soil and engineered filter media to treat an assortment of coarse, fine and dissolved pollutants from surface water runoff, even during high flows. 

Optimised for high volume flow while retaining high stormwater pollutant removal efficiencies, Hydro Biofilter™ can remove trash and coarse debris down to particulate and dissolved metals and nutrients in one compact and aesthetically pleasing treatment system.

Designed with versatility and ease of use in mind, Hydro Biofilter™ is simple to install and maintain and works well with a variety of conditions at residential, commercial and other developed sites. 

Targeted Pollutants

  • Very fine particles
  • Trash and floatables
  • Dissolved, liquid and sediment bound hydrocarbons
  • Sediment bound heavy metals
  • Sediment bound nutrients
  • Dissolved pollutants

Applications:

  • Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and green infrastructure developments
  • Pollutant hotspots such as maintenance yards, car parks, petrol stations, streets, roads, airports and transportation hubs
  • New construction or redevelopment of commercial and residential sites
  • Areas requiring removal of coarse, fine or dissolved metals, oils, and nutrients

Hydro Biofilter™  is only available in the UK and Ireland

Hydro Biofilter™ was previously marketed as Hydro BioCell

Remove high levels of pollutants

Natural and engineered filtration technology, combining soil and filter media, removes a variety of surface water pollutants for a high level of treatment.

Save site space

Hydro Biofilter™ contributes to attractive urban areas and street scenes and supports local biodiversity. Its compact design makes it ideal for both new build and retrofit applications and can handle a high flow through a small footprint.

Cut maintenance costs

Maintenance is safe and easy and can be carried out from the surface using standard landscaping tools. No confined space entry is required.

We can provide full inspection and maintenance services. To find out more, call us on +44 (0)1275 878371 or email: sudsservices@hydro-int.com 

Reduce installation time

While the chemical and biological processes behind Hydro Biofilter™ are complex, installation is simple. The filter media and ready-fitted internal components are pre-packaged in the concrete chamber to facilitate easy drop-in-place construction.

Design with flexibility

Treated stormwater is discharged via the under drain system to a drainage outflow, watercourse, or onwards for infiltration if soil conditions allow. It can also be integrated with a secondary attenuation or infiltration such as the Stormcell® or Stormbloc Optimum® storage systems.

  1. Contaminated surface water runoff drains from the impermeable surface through the kerb inlet slots incorporated into the Hydro Biofilter™ cover slab or through an inlet pipe on to the mulch layer, where energy dissipator stones are applied to prevent erosion of the mulch and engineered media.
  2. The runoff then flows through the mulch and media layers where pollutants are captured and immobilised.
  3. Treated water is collected in an underdrain carrier pipe, which exits the chamber via a standard pipe coupler cast in to the wall of the chamber.

Treatment Processes

  • Sedimentation
  • Inert filtration
  • Reactive filtration
  • Media recharge
Video file

Unit sizes

  • 1.2 x 1.2 m
  • 1.2 x 1.8 m
  • 1.2 x 2.4 m

Filter surface area

  • 1.44-2.88 m2

Drained area

  • 480-1,440 m2

Outlet flow rate

  • 1.0-2.0 l/s

 > Request a UK 3D BIM model of the Hydro Biofilter™ for use with UK Building Information Modelling (BIM)

Our E-Guide: How to Design a Hydro Biofilter for Urban

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  • Hydro Biofilter installed in the UK
  • Two Hydro Biofilter™ units installed in the UK
  • Hydro Biofilter™ installed in Scotland, UK
Q

Is the Hydro Biofilter™ an equivalent to an oil interceptor?

A

Yes. PPG3 recommends that SuDS are used in place of an oil interceptor for sites where there is a risk of light contamination and a low risk of spills (e.g. car parks, residential roads). The Hydro Biofilter™ is verified as delivering hydrocarbon removal to Class I interceptor required performance.

Q

What maintenance is required?

A

Maintenance is safe and easy and can be carried out from the surface using standard landscaping tools. No confined space entry is required. Maintenance consists of removing sediments and litter, replacing the mulch, ensuring that all inlets and outlets are clear and care of the plant; irrigation may be required to maintain healthy plant growth during prolonged periods of dry weather. We can provide full inspection and maintenance services for your Hydro Biofilter™.  To find out more, call us on +44 (0)1275 878371 or email: sudsservices@hydro-int.com 

Q

What is the removal efficiency of the different size units?

A

Removal efficiency is dependent upon the particle size and specific gravity of the pollutant, in addition to the water quality and peak flow rate of the runoff. Please contact us to discuss your specific requirements.

Q

What kind of plant can I use?

A

Unfortunately many UK native species are not suited to the free draining conditions experienced within a bioretention system. Therefore, it is often more appropriate to use carefully selected, non-invasive ornamental species. If it is desirable to use a particular type of plant to suit local aesthetic or biodiversity plans then this can often be accommodated.

Q

Can the plant be omitted?

A

No. The plant is a critical component in bioretention technology and is necessary for the Hydro Biofilter™ to operate as intended. Phytoremediation studies have shown that plants are effective at cycling the pollutants captured by the system; the plants can accumulate metals in the cell tissue to make them less toxic, use nitrogen and phosphorous for cell growth and process organic matter for energy. While the engineered media alone would still be effective at removing pollutants, the inter-event recovery and system recharge would not be facilitated by the plant and therefore the media would require periodic replacement.

Q

What size outlet pipe is acceptable?

A

All units are fitted with a Rigidrain CRD100 socket coupling.

Q

When should I use an Up-Flo™ Filter instead of a Hydro Biofilter™?

A

The Up-Flo™ Filter is very resistant to high contaminant loading associated with pollutant hotspots, and the unit fits easily within a traditional drainage system; however, the Hydro Biofilter™ can fit to the landscaped environment and provides biological treatment. 

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