MOVING BED VS. ACTIVATED SLUDGE
IAA has a section that is involved in waste water treatment (WWTP), providing turn-key mobile treatment plants as well as upgrading existing activated-sludge plants.
The core technology is the patented CLEARWATER Moving Bed Bioreactor for biological treatment and the registered bio-element products by IAA.
The Moving Bed Bio-Reactor (MBBR) Technology is increasingly being favored over conventional Activated Sludge (AS) systems. This is largely due to the achievable reduction of the plant's footprint and the ability to maintain a higher concentration of more specialized bacteria.
Whereas the AS technology relies on free-flowing bacteria flocs, the MBBR technology relies on fixed-film technology where bacteria are attached to inert biological carrier profiles (bio-elements, biomedia, biological carriers) that are retained within the reactor by screens. This eliminates the need for a return activated sludge system and reduces the requirements for subsequent filtration steps.
For pure nitrification purposes, MBBR technology requires approximately 25-40% of the volume required by AS technology. Thus, the MBBR technology offers a powerful alternative to AS systems for high-strength industrial wastewater treatment and for pre- or post-treatment upgrades in existing WWTP`s that require upgrading to meet new ammonia discharge limits.
