Introduction and

process description
of FAB/MBBR
1

By
KETAN WADODKAR
124180004
26/02/16

Content
MBBR (Moving
Reactor)

Bed

Biofilm

Introduction
Process Description
Design Consideration
Advantages

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MBBR (Moving bed biofilm

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

AIR INLET PIPING

RAW SEWAGE

TREATED
SEWAGE
SPECIALLY DEVELOPED
CARRIER ELEMENTS

FAB REACTOR

EFFLUENT OUTLET
SYSTEM
V
AIR DISTRIBUTION GRID

V
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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 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
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
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(2.5 mg N/L). (Hem et al. 1994).

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Media carrier retention screens:

Scum must be removed from the system
Typical screen design allows for a maximum 50
to 150mm head loss

Effective
system:

liquidsolid

separation

The general SS in MBBR effluent found out to be 150250 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.
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 BOD 5/m2 .d (at 10uC).
Higher-rate systems require chemically enhanced
liquidsolids separation and/or flotation. OLR = 4560 g BOD5/m2d @25 oC. (degaard, 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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Advantages:
High-efficiency cBOD removal and nitrification
(even in low temperature environments)
Retention of slow-growing and temperaturesensitive bacterial populations (i.e., autotrophic
nitrifiers and methanol-degrading heterotrophs,
respectively)
low HRT
high biomass concentration
low solids loading on liquidsolids separation unit
processes
Reduced sludge
activated sludge

production

compared

with

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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 aerationmixing process.
Smaller foot prints.
MBBR Provides Five times
the Biofilm Surface Area in
less than 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.

degaard, H. (2006) Innovations in Wastewater Treatment:

The Moving Bed Biofilm Process. Water Sci. Technol., 53 (9), 7
33.

Hem, L.J., Rusten, B., degaard, H., 1994. Nitrification in a

moving bed biofilm reactor. Water Res. 28 (6), 14251433.

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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