What is an MBR Treatment System?
Membrane Bioreactor
At Xealio, we have MBR wastewater treatment as a high performance treatment for projects with excellent effluent quality requirements, compact design and reliable operation. MBR is an advanced wastewater treatment process, which is a combination of biological treatment and membrane filtration. The microorganisms will use the pollution in the wastewater while the fine membranes will filter the wastewater from suspended particles, bacteria and solids.
In a typical wastewater treatment facility, the sludge is typically separated from treated water in a secondary clarifier. In an MBR system this step is eliminated by membrane filtration. This reduces the size of the process, and the effluent generated is much cleaner and more stable. The treated water has a very low turbidity, as the membranes create a physical barrier, so MBR technology can be used for applications where high discharge standards or water reuse is required.
The general components of an MBR system are the biological reactor, aeration equipment, the membrane modules, the pumps, and an automated control system. Typically, the membranes are microfiltration or ultrafiltration membranes having extremely small pore sizes. These pores allow clean water to flow through while keeping sludge, solids and many microorganisms in the system. Hollow fiber and Flat Sheet modules are common membranes used in the project based on the project requirements and type of wastewater.
There are two types of MBRs. A submerged MBR consists of membrane modules that are located within the aeration tank or membrane tank connected with the aireration tank. It is treated water that is pumped through the membranes by suction. This combination is often used for domestic and municipal wastewaters due to its compact size and low energy consumption. Side-stream MBR is where the mixed wastewater and biomass is pumped to an external membrane unit. This is typically employed with industrial wastewater, where more rigorous filtration conditions might be necessary.
A significant advantage of the MBR technology is that it can maintain a high level of active biomass. This results in a larger proportion of microorganisms treating the wastewater for a given tank volume. This leads to high organic removal efficiency, low sludge production, and stable performance despite fluctuations in the wastewater in-feed load of a MBR system.Fouling control strategies are generally part of an MBR system to ensure that the membrane maintains its performance.
Production of turbulence around membranes to minimize solids on the membrane surface is accomplished by air scouring. The system can also incorporate relaxation cycles, backwash cycles and periodic chemical cleaning to ensure membranes perform over time.
How does the Xealio MBR wastewater treatment system work?
The Xealio MBR system combines biological wastewater treatment with membrane filtration. After organic pollutants are biologically degraded, the treated water passes through fine-pore membranes that retain suspended solids and biological flocs. This produces a consistently clarified effluent without requiring a conventional secondary settling tank.
Why choose MBR for a containerized wastewater treatment plant?
MBR technology provides high treatment performance within a compact footprint. Because biological treatment and solid-liquid separation are integrated into the same process configuration, the required tank volume and civil construction can often be reduced. This makes MBR particularly suitable for containerized plants, space-limited sites and decentralized projects.
Is MBR suitable for treated water reuse?
Yes. MBR is frequently selected for projects where treated wastewater will be reused for irrigation, toilet flushing, utility water or selected industrial applications. The membrane provides an effective physical barrier against suspended solids and significantly improves effluent clarity. Additional disinfection or polishing stages may be included depending on the intended reuse standard.
What effluent quality can an MBR system achieve?
A properly designed MBR system can achieve very low suspended solids and high organic matter removal. It can also be configured for nitrification, denitrification and, where required, phosphorus removal. The guaranteed outlet quality depends on the influent characteristics, operating temperature, biological loading and applicable discharge or reuse requirements.
How are membrane fouling and maintenance managed?
Membrane performance is maintained through controlled aeration, automatic filtration cycles, backwashing and scheduled chemical cleaning. The Xealio control system monitors operating parameters such as membrane pressure, flow and cleaning requirements. Correct pretreatment and process operation are essential for extending membrane life and maintaining stable performance.
