Design&operation of MBBR reactors

Design&operation of MBBR reactorsDesignandoperationsoftheKaldnesmovingbedbiofilmreactorsBjornRustena,*,BjørnarEikebrokkb,YngveUlgenesb,EivindLygrencaAquateam—NorwegianWaterTechnologyCentre,P.O.Box6875,Rodelokka,N-0504Oslo,NorwaybSINTEFWaterandEnvironment,Klaebuveien153,N-7465Trondheim,NorwaycBiodesign,Raschsvei78,N-1185Oslo,NorwayReceived26December2004;accepted18April2005AbstractThemovingbedbiofilmreactor(MBBR)wasdevelopedinNorwayinthelate1980sandearly1990s.Itiscoveredbyseveralpatentsandhasbeenahugesuccessworld-widefortreatmentofmunicipalandindustrialwastewaters.Inaddition,MBBRshavebeensuccessfullyusedforbiologicaltreatmentofdrinkingwateraswellasforwatertreatmentinfishfarms.TheMBBRsuseplasticbiofilmcarriersofauniquedesign,tomaximizetheactivebiofilmsurfaceareainthereactors.Reactorshaveinsignificantheadloss,noneedforperiodicbackwashingandnosusceptibilityforclogging.ThispaperdescribesthefundamentalsoftheMBBR.Ithasamajoremphasisonnitrificationwiththetypeofbiofilmcarrierusedinfishfarms,butb