A Pilot Scale Evaluation of Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) technology for Biological Nutrient Removal Process Intensification

摘要

Introduction The Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) is a promising biological nutrient removal intensification technology. In an MABR pressurized air is delivered to the lumen of hollow-fiber membranes. Oxygen is delivered to the biofilm growing on the outside of membrane surface by diffusion through the membrane wall. By controlling the intramembrane pressure, oxygen can be consumed within the biofilm with minimal transfer to the bulk liquid. When combined with suspended growth mixed liquor, the use of an MABR results in an aerobic biofilm in an anoxic zone within the biological treatment process enabling efficient simultaneous nitrification-denitrification within the biofilm and denitrification in the anoxic mixed liquor. The activated sludge is also used to perform a portion of the nitrification in aerobic zones. In this way, both the MABR biofilm and suspended sludge are integral to Total Inorganic Nitrogen (TIN) reduction in the hybrid MABR-BNR process.