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Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor Technology: Process Applications, Design, and Performance
Author(s) -
McQuarrie James P.,
Boltz Joshua P.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143010x12851009156286
Subject(s) - clarifier , moving bed biofilm reactor , backwashing , activated sludge , denitrification , sewage treatment , environmental science , waste management , bioreactor , wastewater , trickling filter , volume (thermodynamics) , anoxic waters , process engineering , environmental engineering , chemistry , biofilm , engineering , nitrogen , environmental chemistry , inlet , genetics , mechanical engineering , organic chemistry , biology , bacteria , physics , quantum mechanics
The moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) can operate as a 2‐ (anoxic) or 3‐(aerobic) phase system with buoyant free‐moving plastic biofilm carriers. These systems can be used for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, aquaculture, potable water denitrification, and, in roughing, secondary, tertiary, and sidestream applications. The system includes a submerged biofilm reactor and liquid‐solids separation unit. The MBBR process benefits include the following: (1) capacity to meet treatment objectives similar to activated sludge systems with respect to carbon‐oxidation and nitrogen removal, but requires a smaller tank volume than a clarifier‐coupled activated sludge system; (2) biomass retention is clarifier‐independent and solids loading to the liquid‐solids separation unit is reduced significantly when compared with activated sludge systems; (3) the MBBR is a continuous‐flow process that does not require a special operational cycle for biofilm thickness, L F , control (e.g., biologically active filter backwashing); and (4) liquid‐solids separation can be achieved with a variety of processes, including conventional and compact high‐rate processes. Information related to system design is fragmented and poorly documented. This paper seeks to address this issue by summarizing state‐of‐the art MBBR design procedures and providing the reader with an overview of some commercially available systems and their components.