Brant Thomson, Site Supervisor;Nick Murray, COOEcoVAP has taken a leaf out of Mother Nature’s book to disrupt conventional wastewater handling practices. Its groundbreaking, biomimicry-inspired innovation—the EcoVAP Evaporative Matrix— is focused on restoring the environmental water balance. EcoVAP’s ability to turbo-charge the natural energy and processes of Mother Nature allow for the company to evaporate at >59x the normal “pan level”, using no manufactured energy, while being fully in harmony with the environment.
Periodic use of a low-pressure pump directs wastewater toward specially designed evaporative superstructures made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE). These structures are engineered to maximize air exposure and enhance evaporation rates.
The EcoVAP Evaporative Matrix uses the simple yet profound principles of naturally occurring water-to-air interaction to accelerate wastewater removal across a significantly smaller land area.
“ECOVAP’s ‘secret sauce’ is rooted in a trifecta of fluid dynamics, aerodynamics and mechanical engineering. The proprietary hydrophilic properties of the Matrix design allow the water to evenly disburse over millions of square inches of surface space, allowing for maximum air-to-water exposure and de minimis pumping needs. The Evaporative Matrix are designed to create their own wind using differentials in water-to-air temperatures. The combined impact of our biomimicry technology is an exponential increase in the evaporation rate, with very low operating costs,” says Mike Patey, founder, inventor and CTO.
He goes on to elaborate, “EcoVAP’s technology should not be confused with atomizing sprayers and misters, which use a high amount of energy, need to be replaced often, and can lead to high air quality concerns as they push both the water and its contaminants in the air. By contrast, EcoVAP simply increases the surface space of water touching air by millions of times, thus providing a supercharged biomimicry to Mother Nature’s natural evaporation, with only the H20 molecules ascending to the air.”
The Evaporative Matrix: Limitless Possibilities with Interlocking Panels
The patented technology uses durable, 100 percent recyclable, injection molded HDPE to construct interlocking panels measuring 2’x2’x2”. These lightweight panels feature patented helical discs that hold water vertically across the widest possible surface area, maximizing exposure to air for rapid evaporation of wastewater.
“EcoVAP is entirely modular, and can be built to any size or configuration depending on wastewater disposal need, usually in a few weeks for smaller systems, to 1-2 months for larger systems,” says Jason Mendenhall, CEO.
The panels can be assembled in varying quantities, from tens-to-hundreds of thousands. The modular approach allows the system to adapt to any scale, from small community projects of <5 gallons per minute (gpm) to expansive industrial, oil/gas, or mining operations (the largest is 130gpm). The design also creates its own airflow (by leveraging the differentials in ambient warm air and the latent cooling of evaporation) through a series of tunnels and chimneys.
ECOVAP’s ‘secret sauce’ is rooted in a trifecta of fluid dynamics, aerodynamics and mechanical engineering. The proprietary hydrophilic properties of the Matrix design allow the water to evenly disburse over millions of square inches of surface space, allowing for maximum air-to-water exposure and de minimis pumping needs” - Mike Patey, CTO
Why Does It Matter?
Traditional filtration or purifying methods can be cost-prohibitive for highly contaminated water. Even low levels of pollutants can cause issues, while smaller contaminants can slip through filters and membranes undetected. Hydrocarbons in oil and gas tend to stick to porous membranes, leading to clogged filters.
Conventional wastewater disposal methods face significant environmental challenges. The oil and gas industry’s practice of underground injection is linked to increased seismic activity and potential contamination of freshwater aquifers. Meanwhile, the mining industry grapples with the dangers posed by expansive tailing ponds. These large-scale waste reservoirs are prone to overflow and structural failures during extreme weather conditions, resulting in catastrophic environmental damage and risk to human life.
“ECOVAP will lead to significantly lower costs and greatly reduced environmental risks for virtually any company that has large wastewater disposal needs,” says Mendenhall.
The implications of EcoVAP’s method extend beyond water purification. This technique drastically reduces wastewater volume by evaporating most of the water, making it economically viable to extract valuable minerals from diluted sources like seawater. For example, mining lithium from these sources is now economically feasible. It is also easier to isolate hazardous contaminants like polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are known for their persistence and toxicity. Concentrating on these contaminants makes them easier to manage, neutralize and possibly destroy.
Winning on All Counts
The EcoVAP technology distinguishes itself by offering three key advantages.
The system is designed for low energy consumption, which curtails operational costs while improving environmental credentials. It requires only 15 minutes of minimal pump activity every one to two hours to saturate the panels, after which passive evaporation continues. This cycle minimizes energy use while maximizing water removal efficiency.
“In addition to using practically no energy, the key to EcoVAP’s low operating costs is practically no maintenance capex. Generally, we recommend a simple drive-by inspection every few days, which can also be done remotely,” says Nick Murray, COO
EcoVAP sets a new standard in efficiency. Its maintenance requirements are negligible, as the system is predominantly self-sustaining and self-cleaning. Every time the tower is wetted, solid buildup is washed away, irrespective of the wastewater quality, preventing scaling issues. Whether the contaminants are soluble or insoluble, gravity effortlessly returns them to the pond below, assuring continuous operation with no maintenance interruptions. When the water content is reduced to a thick slurry of about 2 to 5 percent of its original volume, it can be easily removed with a vacuum truck or other disposal methods. Depending on the initial consistency, the system can reduce wastewater volume by around 97 percent.
The durable HDPE plastic components guarantee longevity and can be recycled at the end of their 50-year lifespan. Only the water pumps require replacement every few years.
Installation is swift and is operational within a few weeks, unlike traditional treatment plants, which can take up to a year to build. This nature-inspired technology can be installed without approval from regulatory authorities as it does not use thermal heating, gas flaring or result in CO2 emissions. The portable, scalable and flexible nature of the solution makes it appealing to a broad spectrum of industries searching for efficient and sustainable wastewater disposal methods. EcoVAP also challenges the prevailing skepticism around the efficacy of non-thermal evaporation methods in adverse conditions. Demonstrated in diverse climates—from the freezing temperatures of Northern Utah and Montana to the humidity of Southeast Texas and Florida—its technology has proven effective, paving the way for broader adoption in environments once considered impractical for such technologies.
“We are confident ECOVAP’s proven technology and our team of engineers can significantly reduce your wastewater disposal needs, in almost any geographic region and with nearly all wastewater inputs, and in an environmentally-friendly manner,” says Mendenhall.
Changing the Century-Old Paradigm
EcoVAP’s signature technology has been evaluated and proven successful across many industries, with highly varying water chemistries. Importantly, EcoVAP works because evaporation pulls only one molecule from the wastewater (being H20), which contrasts to a myriad of filters, membranes, chemicals and electrical processes to remove the myriad of contaminants. Its most critical applications are in sectors like oil and gas, mining, power, and many forms of industrial manufacturing where wastewater management challenges are most acute.
The technology’s impact is equally impressive in the mining industry. A prominent client in California faced restrictions when attempting to expand its evaporation ponds, limiting production capacity. EcoVap deployed its Evaporative Matrix to address these challenges head-on. Within three months, it successfully dried out ponds that hadn’t been dry in nearly two decades, effectively removing the critical bottleneck in wastewater management. This solution enabled the client to increase production with minimal costs, demonstrating the Evaporative Matrix’s scalability and adaptability. This client is now expanding its EcoVAP Matrices by 5x further, thereby allowing for a similar increase in production after being bottlenecked for several decades.
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EcoVAP is entirely modular, and can be built to any size or configuration depending on wastewater disposal need, usually in a few weeks for smaller systems, to 1-2 months for larger systems
EcoVAP is carving a niche in new sectors, like inland desalination plants, where disposing of concentrated brine poses significant logistical and environmental challenges. Conventional disposal methods, like underground injection or evaporation ponds, are often considered impractical due to space and cost constraints, as well as environmental concerns. Concentrate disposal accounts for up to 35 percent of the total cost of inland desalination projects, making it a critical factor in project viability. EcoVAP reduces the volume of concentrated brine by 80 to 90 percent, increasing the economic feasibility of desalination projects.
Steering the Future of Water Technology
EcoVAP’s disruptive innovation is based on a deeply embedded problem-solving mindset in its culture. This ethos is personified by founder and CTO Mike Patey, who has numerous patents across diverse sectors and holds world speed records in aviation for planes that he has designed, built and flown. Patey’s inventive mind has created numerous products that have become indispensable in their respective fields. His expertise in fluid dynamics, aerodynamics and mechanical engineering forms the cornerstone of Evaporative Matrix.
CEO Jason Mendenhall, with a background in chemical engineering, technology and innovation, shares the company’s commitment to solving challenges in unconventional yet effective ways that reduce carbon footprint while remaining economically viable.
Our mission and vision is clear. EcoVAP continues to innovate the wastewater industry by discovering ways to accelerate the processes that exist in nature. Simple, effective and innovative is our ethos – and we never consider the race over,” says Mendenhall.
EcoVAP is currently developing an additional capability—to function as an industrial water cooler, which will be vital for data centers and industries.
Turning over another new leaf in innovation, the company is pioneering a method that mirrors the natural water cycle to condense the pure water that has been evaporated by enclosing its Evaporative Matrix. The current atmospheric water-generating technologies work efficiently only with humidity levels of around 60 percent, rendering them limited and expensive in many climates. In contrast, EcoVAP’s enclosed structures create 99 percent humidity, significantly enhancing water capture potential. Leveraging proprietary condensation mechanisms that operate without consuming energy enables nature’s evaporation to condensation cycle to be closely mimicked—promising a sustainable source of clean water.
Tapping into the ingenuity of natural processes, EcoVAP takes charge in reducing the cost of wastewater disposal and promoting environmental sustainability. Its approach conserves resources and returns clean water to nature, marking a significant step forward in sustainable industrial practices.
