View of the WavTex Modules Inside Tank at Nuclear WWTP Facility
Entex Technologies Completes Installation of WavTex IFAS System at Nuclear Facility’s Wastewater Treatment Plant
Located in central Virginia, a nuclear power station serves as a critical component of the Commonwealth’s energy infrastructure. The facility powers more than 450,000 homes and produces approximately 17% of Virginia’s total electricity and 40% of its carbon-free energy. Its operating license has recently been extended an additional 20 years, allowing continued operation through approximately 2060.
To support long-term reliability across all plant systems, the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) evaluated technologies to strengthen biological treatment performance. The facility receives influent with elevated total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) concentrations, approximately 172 mg/L at a design flow of 0.03 MGD, creating sustained alkalinity demand and nitrification challenges.
To ensure stable performance over the next two decades, the consulting firm, Retaw Engineering, selected Entex’s WavTex ™ Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) technology for improved biological treatment. WavTex’s specialized media provides significant attachment sites for both nitrifying and denitrifying biomass, thereby enhancing alkalinity and oxygen recovery.
In July 2023, two WavTex IFAS modules were installed, each equipped with 60 self-buoyant EnTextile media sheets and integral coarse bubble aeration grids. The additional fixed-film surface area provides increased biomass to support consistent alkalinity recovery under high TKN loading conditions. Each module is designed with an automated air scour capability to maintain media performance at varying DO conditions.
Under normal operation, the modules remain unaerated to minimize energy demand. An automated air scour of approximately 75 SCFM is initiated twice daily for 10 minutes to maintain optimal media condition. The system is designed to operate with minimal operator intervention and negligible maintenance requirements.
Tank Layout Schematic with WavTex Modules Placement Indicated
The WavTex IFAS installation positions the Nuclear Power Plant’s WWTP for sustained biological stability throughout its extended operating horizon. By increasing treatment resilience without expanding the plant footprint or adding operational complexity, the upgrade supports both regulatory reliability and long-term asset stewardship.