Water and Effluent Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/879866
OctOber 2017 WET NEWS 17 Design the downstream stage to remove both the fine par- ticulate matter that passes through the MBBR and to accommodate the poor set- tling biomass grown by the unit Ensure virtually all the dis- solved BOD is removed up front of the nitrification stage It is only by adopting this approach that the full advan- tage of the MBBR process can be achieved and the total BOD/ COD be reduced to below the consented value. Whilst the use of either chemical pre-treatment to improve the settleability of the sludge or a DAF may be counter-intuitive to the UK water industry, when consid- ered as an overall package it offers several advantages. It has a more compact footprint. It also brings with it the option of using off-site fabrica- tion, as the size of the reaction and solids removal tanks is sig- nificantly smaller. There is a sig- nificant reduction in Capex cost, which more than offsets the increased operating cost associ- ated with chemical dosing and/ or DAF. Furthermore, the need the Mbbr uses a plastic carrier media with a large specific surface area the primary purpose of the Mbbr is the removal of dissolved organic matter ProjEcT SPEcS • the primary purpose of the Mbbr is the removal of dissolved organic matter • Mbbr offers the option of using off-site fabrication • the biology used by the Mbbr is identical to other fixed film technology NEEd To kNoW • Mbbr technology has been in successful operation in Scandinavia since the late 1980s • the need to install filtration to mop up any residual fines is eliminated • Key to the successful performance of the unit is understanding the air distribution to install filtration to mop up any residual fines is eliminated. Having finally got our heads around the technology, we have been able to successfully apply it to a number of temporary and permanent applications includ- ing BOD removal from munici- pal sewage, nitrification and the treatment of various industrial effluents ranging from whiskey distilleries to carrot juice. In doing so we have learnt a lot about the technology and the high removal rates it can sustain. Four years on, we are more convinced than ever that MBBR has a significant role to play in both municipal and industrial wastewater treatment. MBBR technology has been extensively embraced by the rest of the world, and our UK trials have shown it can work equally well here. Added to this, it fits per- fectly with the water industry's stated objective of minimising the whole life cost of each pro- ject (Totex). The moment is surely right for the industry to move to MBBR. n Richard Coulton is chief executive of Siltbuster Process Solutions. THE VErdIcT "…we are more convinced than ever that Mbbr has a significant role to play in both municipal and industrial wastewater treatment! Richard Coulton