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[ MBBR ]

Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) is among the most advanced fixed-film (or attached growth) biological treatment solutions, suitable for both municipally and industrial wastewater treatment.

Unidro MBBR system relies on the use of high-quality plastic media support upon which the microorganisms are attached. The bio-carriers are submerged, but freely moving, in the in the water volume of the reactor.

The MBBR technology can be applied to any type of biological remediation task (organics and/or nutrient removal) by combining the use of bio-carriers and the application of desired operating conditions (aerobic, anoxic or anaerobic).

Unidro bio-carriers, both conventional type and innovative bio-chips, are specifically engineered and designed to ensure high protected surface area is provided for bacteria attachment and biofilm growth.

Unidro MBBR solutions allow to achieve high-density population of both heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria enabling high-rate biodegradation and superior treatment capacity while significantly reducing the footprint compared to conventional technologies.

In aerobic processes, the plastic media is continuously mixed by the air blown through a specifically designed aeration grid installed at the bottom of the reactor tank, which also ensure oxygen supply for BOD removal and nitrification. In anoxic and anaerobic the carriers are kept moving by means of mechanical mixers. A sieve arrangement at the reactor outlet is provided to keep the carriers within the system.

Having the possibility to retain bio-carrier within specific reactors, the attached biomass may become more specialized and active, resulting in a higher concentration of relevant organisms at any location in the process train.

UNIDRO provides:

  • expertise in designing aeration system, mixing equipment and retention sieve that is crucial to achieve optimum performance and reliable operation of the MBBR process;
  • biological treatment process know-how to design the most compact and efficient MBBR solutions based on specific wastewater characteristics and effluent requirement

As contaminant are removed from wastewater, the biofilm grows and surplus biomass naturally detaches from bio-carriers due to the turbulence and the shear forces in the reactor volume.

A clarification system is generally required downstream MBBR tanks. Compared to conventional activated sludge treatment process, greater flexibility in the selection of the method for separation of suspended solids from treated water (i.e. compact settling, flotation or filtration), as no sludge recirculation is typically required because an adequate microorganism population is maintained attached to the media and only the surplus biomass has to be separated from the effluent.

Bio-carriers can also be integrated in conventional activated sludge plant to implement the Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) system: an hybrid solutions with high reliability and treatment capability.

Unidro offers complete MBBR and IFAS solutions including pre-treatment and post-treatment solutions and is fully committed to meet any specific project requirement.

Advantages of Unidro MBBR Solutions

  • Small Footprint and Compact Design
  • Increased resilience to toxicity
  • Stable under load variations
  • Simple to operate (minimize requirement for process control)
  • Reduced sludge production and no problems with sludge bulking
  • Expandable capacity (increasing the fill fraction of biofilm carriers)
  • Easy retrofit of conventional activated sludge to increase plant capacity or meet more stringent effluent limits with IFAS process
  • Possibility to easily apply subsequent treatment steps