Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) systems offer several operational and economic advantages compared to conventional wastewater treatment plants. By incorporating flat sheet membrane technology, Napier-Reid’s MBR systems eliminate the need for secondary clarifiers and tertiary treatment. This allows for increased performance with a smaller footprint.

 

Features

  • Works through virtually any raw water quality change or upset
  • Reduction of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus by control of the process
  • Fully automated for simplified design and operation
  • Outstanding technology for virtually all wastewater treatment applications – from greenfield plants to retrofits to water reclamation projects
  • Modular technology allows extension of plant treatment capacity
  • Single header and centrally located air nozzles reduce aeration by up to 50% for energy savings
  • Strong PVC module housing reduces weight for ease of handling and installation

 

MBR Process

BioReactor Module Diagram

BioReactor Module Diagram

Napier-Reid’s Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) process is a combination of biological wastewater treatment and membrane filtration.

Biodegradable pollution is reduced using bacteria and microorganisms. Following biological treatment, the activated-sludge is separated from the treated water by a microfiltration membrane.

The MBR process involves a suspended growth activated sludge system that incorporates microporous flat sheet membranes in modules for solid/liquid separation. The flat sheet membranes are mounted vertically in modules and are submerged into the activated sludge tank. Vacuum is applied to the permeate manifold and this draws water from the reactor-side to the inside of the flat sheet membranes and out of the system. The MBR process eliminates the need for secondary clarifiers.

 

MBR Membrane

  • Using Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) for the functional layer of the membrane and polyester non-woven fabric as the support layer allows the membrane to exhibit superior physical strength and chemical stability.
  • Many 0.08 micron pores on the membrane surface effectively eliminate 0.1 micron+ particles to improve effluent quality.
  • Uniform pore size results in consistently high permeability with minimal pore clogging.
  • Napier-Reid’s membrane elements with a 1.4 m2 or a 0.9 m2 membrane area are joined to our membrane module. These modules are composed of 50 to 400 membrane elements.

 

MBR Modules

Napier-Reid’s MBR module configuration comprises an element block and an aeration block. The element block contains a number of membrane elements stacked at equal intervals, each of which has flat sheet membranes attached on both sides of a supporting panel. Each element is connected via a tube to a permeated water manifold.

MODULE SPECIFICATIONS
Module Model No.

NR-MBR-50

 NR-MBR-100 NR-MBR-200

NR-MBR-400
Flow Capacity M3/day

8-53

2,100 – 14,000

 15-1054,000 – 27,700 30-2107,900 – 55,500

60-420

15,900 – 111,000
Gal/day
Number of Membranes

50

 100 200

400
Total Membrane Area (m2)

70

 140 280

560
Dimensions WxLxH (mm)

810x950x2,100

 810×1,620×2,100 840×3,260×2,100

840×3,260×4,160
Dry Weight (Lb.)

882

 1,532 3,153

5,930

The aeration block consists of air diffusers used to create medium size bubbles that shake the membranes and scour the outside of the flat sheet membranes, removing accumulated debris. A unique feature of the NR-MBR module is the equal distribution of the air beneath the flat sheet membrane modules. This helps to avoid sludging and reduces energy consumption. The membrane performance is further maintained by allowing the membranes to relax for a few minutes at regular interval i.e. the permeate pump is switched off for a short time while the air scour continues.