Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor Technology: Process Applications, Design, and Performance

• Published in: Water environment research 2011-06, Vol.83 (6), p.560-575
• Main Authors: McQuarrie, James P., Boltz, Joshua P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerobiosis; Air flow; Anaerobiosis; Anammox; Applied sciences; biofilm; Biofilms; Bioreactors; Carbon - chemistry; Carbon - metabolism; carbon oxidation; Chemical engineering; denitrification; Drinking water and swimming-pool water. Desalination; Exact sciences and technology; General purification processes; moving bed biofilm reactor; nitrification; Nitrogen - chemistry; Nitrogen - metabolism; Oxidation-Reduction; partial nitritation; Pollution; R&D; Reactors; Research & development; Systems design; Technological change; Waste Disposal, Fluid - instrumentation; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Wastewaters; Water treatment; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 1061-4303; 1554-7531
• DOI: 10.2175/106143010X12851009156286

The moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) can operate as a 2- (anoxic) or 3-(aerobic) phase system with buoyant free-moving plastic bioftlm 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, LF, 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.