MBR plant: innovation in water treatment

How MBR plants work and their advantages

MBR plants are state-of-the-art solutions for the treatment of industrial water used by companies in various sectors. The goal of these plants is to recover and reuse water in the production cycle, thus reducing operating costs and the environmental impact of industrial processes. 

There are several types of industrial water treatment plants. Among them, the Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR) is currently considered one of the most efficient and beneficial solutions. Let's find out how it works and the benefits it brings.

What are MBR biological wastewater treatment plants and how do they work?

The MBR system is a biological wastewater treatment plant. In fact, it uses an ultrafiltration membrane and exploits a purely mechanical separation process that uses this type of membrane with a porosity of less than 0.1 micron to filter molecules in water without the use of chemical additives.

For this reason, it is often referred to as a "membrane bioreactor"; in fact, it is an "advanced" membrane filtration system. In fact, an MBR plant combines the traditional activated sludge purification process with a membrane filtration separation system that replaces the normal secondary clarifier.

This system allows a higher concentration of activated sludge in the biological reactors compared to conventional plants. Therefore, a high concentration of biomass allows a very high purification yield and much better results.

The biomass contained in an activated sludge biological treatment tank (a bioreactor) is recycled through an ultrafiltration plant, where sludge and high molecular weight soluble materials are retained and recycled in the bioreactor until they are degraded.

There are several types of membranes that can be selected for the bioreactor. These are generally selected based on the size of the pores and the contaminants to be removed from the water. However, all of them allow the effluent to be effectively filtered at much higher biomass concentrations than conventional activated sludge. For activated sludge treatment, we generally speak of 3-5 g/L; for MBR, we speak of 8 g/L and above.

What are the benefits of an MBR system?

The reliability of the MBR system makes it particularly suitable for the treatment and purification of industrial wastewater: in fact, they are discontinuous flow treatment systems that integrate the different treatment stages in a single tank.

The advantages are many:

• High performance, efficiency and extreme quality of the purified effluent. There are no suspended solids and the effluent is disinfected because the membranes have a porosity that allows very high removals, so much so that the purified water can be reused in production cycles;
• Significant reduction in the volume required for biological oxidation. As seen, much higher biomass concentrations are achieved compared to traditional technologies;
• There is no risk of sludge leakage. In traditional plants, sludge leakage can occur from the secondary decanter due to foam formation, excess or poor sedimentation of the sludge, or excess oils and fats;
• Improved effluent quality. Suspended solids do not pass through the membranes. There is no sludge entrainment in the effluent, making it easier to meet regulatory requirements compared to traditional processes;
• Improved management and disposal. MBR technology also has a high degree of modularity and scalability, allowing it to cover a wide range of treatment potential;
• Improved operating conditions. The plant configuration allows for easy membrane removal in the case of submerged membranes or, if located in a module outside the bioreactor, for interventions in optimal hygienic-sanitary and ergonomic conditions, since the operators are never in contact with the wastewater and sludge.
• Effluent recycling. The quality of the effluent is optimal and does not require sterilization by UV or chlorination. This allows the reuse of the effluent for the purposes foreseen by Ministerial Decree no. 185/2003.

MBR biological treatment plants are particularly suitable for expanding existing activated sludge plants, which may be outdated or undersized when influent loads increase, to increase their treatment capacity.

They are the perfect solution both for the treatment of civil wastewater and for the purification and treatment of industrial wastewater. They are particularly suitable for agri-food companies, textile companies, laundries, companies in the paper supply chain, pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies, and allow the reuse of purified water.

Plants built by IDRO Group

IDRO Group is a benchmark in the design and construction of wastewater treatment plants, both civil and industrial.

The industrial wastewater treatment plants designed and built by IDRO Group represent the most advanced solutions for the treatment of industrial water in various sectors. They are state-of-the-art solutions, made with the most innovative technologies (such as biological treatments) and designed in a completely customized way, according to the specific needs of each client.

The company is also involved in the construction of biological treatment plants. 

Thanks to its long experience in the field, Idro Group is able to advise and guide customers in choosing the most suitable wastewater treatment plant for their needs. To learn more, do not hesitate to contact us.