Introduction and process

description of
FAB/MBBR
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By
KETAN WADODKAR
124180004

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Content
 MBBR (Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor)
 Introduction
 Process Description
 Design Consideration
 Advantages

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 MBBR (Moving bed biofilm
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reactor)
 Small cylindrical shaped polyethylene carrier added in
aerated or non aerated basin to support biofilm growth.
 Biomass grows primarily on protected surface on the inside
of the carriers.
 Air agitation or mixers are used to continuously circulate
carriers.
 Perforated plates at the outlet of the tanks keeps biofilm
carrier inside the tank.
 MBBR can be a single reactor or configured as several
reactors-in-series.

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Fig: Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR)

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 FAB Reactor / MBBR
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AIR INLET PIPING

RAW SEWAGE
TREATED
SEWAGE

SPECIALLY DEVELOPED
FAB REACTOR CARRIER ELEMENTS

EFFLUENT OUTLET
SYSTEM
V V V V V

AIR DISTRIBUTION GRID 24/11/20

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8  Retention of the carrier within the
reactor encourages selection and
enrichment for organisms that are
best adapted to the nutrient
conditions that prevail in that reactor
at steady state.
 Carriers occupy 25-70% of tank
volume.
 The specific surface area of carrier is
about 500m2/m3.
 The carriers are slightly buoyant and
have a specific gravity between 0.94
and 0.96 g/cm3.
 Media carrier life is around 15-20
years.

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 Various types of bio carriers used
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  treatment capacity is a function of the specific surface area (SSA) of
the reactor.
 The SSA for a reactor = the quotient of the total surface area on the
10 carrier that is available for biofilm establishment and the reactor
volume.
TABLE: SSA of attached growth media (Source: Metcalf &eddy,
2003)

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 Design Consideration
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 Adequate preliminary treatment:
 to prevent plastic biofilm carrier retention screen blinding
 To prevent the accumulation of inert material in MBBR tank
 Well designed aeration system:
 Promote the rolling water circulation pattern that uniformly
distributes plastic biofilm carriers throughout the MBBR.
 diffused aeration is used for aerobic MBBR tank (Course bubble
diffusion)
 Typical oxygen transfer rates are 2.5 – 3.5 % per meter of water
submergence.
 Typical air flow rate = 6 to 8 m3/m2.h.
 Properly specified/designed mechanical mixers for
denitrification tank

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Fig: Influence of organic load and reactor DO concentration on TAN removal in a

Kaldnes MBBR, at 15 C and with TAN in excess (2.5 mg N/L). (Hem et al. 1994).
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  Media carrier retention screens:
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 Scum must be removed from the system
 Typical screen design allows for a maximum 50 to 150mm
head loss
 Effective liquid–solid separation system:
 The general SS in MBBR effluent found out to be 150-250 mg/L,
when treating medium to high strength wastewaters.
 MBBR are low HRT biofilm reactors
 According to Ahl et al. (2006), the particle size distribution shifts
towards larger particle size with increase in HRT.
 As biomass accumulation is settling independent, MBBR is flexible
in choice of settler used. (Coagulation & flocculation. Tube settler,
MF/UF etc.)

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  Length-to-width ratio (L:W) in the range 0.5:1 to 1.5:1.
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 Ratio more than above results in non uniform distribution of bio
carriers.
 Biofilm thickness is controlled by air flow or mechanical
mixing energy.
 Low-rate MBBRs promote nitrification.
 Medium-rate MBBRs typically are designed for an OLR in the
range 5 to 10 g BOD5/m2 .d (at 10uC).
 Higher-rate systems require chemically enhanced liquid–solids
separation and/or flotation. OLR = 45-60 g BOD5/m2d @25 oC.
(Ødegaard, 2006).
 MBBR support SNDN which is dependant on type of carrier
selected.
 It do no require any return activated sludge or backwashing.

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15 Advantages:
 High-efficiency cBOD removal and nitrification (even in low
temperature environments)
 Retention of slow-growing and temperature-sensitive bacterial
populations (i.e., autotrophic nitrifiers and methanol-
degrading heterotrophs, respectively)
 low HRT
 high biomass concentration
 low solids loading on liquid–solids separation unit processes
 Reduced sludge production compared with activated sludge

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 No problems with odours, snails or
red-worms as in air phase fixed
films.
 Non clogging design.
 Is a continuous system and biofilm
thickness is maintained by the
aeration-mixing process.
 Smaller foot prints.
 MBBR Provides Five times the
Biofilm Surface Area in less than ¼
Reactor Volume as Trickling Filter
 Can be operated at varying influent
load
 Can be easily retrofitted.

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 References
17  McQuarrie J. P., Boltz J. P. (2011) Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor
Technology: Process Applications, Design, and Performance; Water
Environment Research, London, United Kingdom, 83 (6), page no. 560-
575.
 Ødegaard, H. (2006) Innovations in Wastewater Treatment: The Moving
Bed Biofilm Process. Water Sci. Technol., 53 (9), 7–33.
 Hem, L.J., Rusten, B., Ødegaard, H., 1994. Nitrification in a moving bed
biofilm reactor. Water Res. 28 (6), 1425–1433.
 www.Wikipedia.org
 www.anoxkaldnes.com
 www.headworksusa.com
 www.thermaxindia.com
 Metcalf and Eddy (2003), Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Reuse,
4th Edition, TATA McGraw-Hill, New Delhi.

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