RBBR Treatment System 1000 m3/day

RBBR

PART TWO
RBBR TREATMENT
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

Table of Contents

2.1 General ........................................................................................................ 2

2.2 Process Description .................................................................................... 2

PART TWO

1
Part 2

RBBR Treatment System 1000 m3/day

RBBR

ROTATING BED BIO REACTOR RBBR

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
2.1

General

Sewage wastewater can be treated using different systems and processes, among these
processes is the fixed film process also activated sludge process. Each of these processes has distinct features. Historically the fixed film processes have provided simpler, more stable treatment systems with lower power costs.
On the other hand activated sludge treatment provides more flexibility and control of
the plant. And handle higher loads and meets higher effluent quality effluent standards.
The mutually exclusive advantages of the two processes have prompted engineers and
researchers to develop treatment systems which adequately combine the advantages of
each process while excluding their disadvantages.
2.2

Process Description

The technique of the combined process RBBR System for the biological treatment of
wastewater is a combination of the submerged fixed film process and the activated
sludge system, it is an advanced MBBR System.
Wastewater treatment according to the Advanced MBBR System is effected on the
one side by suspended activated sludge in the mixed liquor and on the other side by
fixed microorganisms in a biofilm on the surface of the contactors. This combines the
advantages of activated sludge and fixed film processes in one. The system works like
a conventional activated sludge system with activated biological sludge in the mixed
liquor with higher concentrations in the suspended sludge as usual and by the additional effect on the biofilm in treatment.
The system integrates the two processes in a single tank entirely using a single mechanical drive system.
The immersed RBBR System Aerator is a wheel with a center shaft. The wheel is of a
cage design. The plates and discs in the contact aerators are formed with a special sur-

2
Part 2

RBBR Treatment System 1000 m3/day

RBBR
face profile in order to assure maximum oxygen transfer and to form air chambers that
shall be self filled with during rotation. Hence only one mechanical drive is necessary.
An electric motor above water level rotates the contact aerator. By this atmospheric air
is dissolved in the mixed liquor to supply the activated sludge sufficiently with oxygen.

RBBR unit, with the biofilm formed on its surface

RBBR unit performing the aeration and mixing required for

activated sludge process
This RBBR complies with the requirements of an efficient aerator with lowest power con-

3
Part 2

RBBR Treatment System 1000 m3/day

RBBR
sumption.

The mode of operation is the same as for the activated sludge process consisting of
the biotank (equipped with the Aerator) and the secondary final clarifier with a return
sludge circuit.
This system uses only a single mechanical drive for one wheel. An electrical motor
above water level rotates the wheel.
The oxygen supply for all microorganisms is ensured by rotating the wheel slowly.
As soon as a pipe emerges with its chambers above water level during this rotation,
the mixed liquor inside the chambers runs out which provides:
A- Excellent mixing
B- Additional aeration
The pipe then will be filled with atmospheric air that provides the Biological tank
with Air/Oxygen for the activated sludge process as well as provides the biofilm
with necessary oxygen that dissolves on the wet surfaces of the fixed biofilm.

4
Part 2

RBBR Treatment System 1000 m3/day

RBBR

Aeration openings in the RBBR discs which allow the aeration process and oxygen
supply required for activated sludge process

5
Part 2

RBBR Treatment System 1000 m3/day

RBBR
The sludge from a fixed film system have always a low sludge volume index, much
lower than in an activated sludge system with the same load. In this RBBR system
the waste sludge from the fixed film will influence the activated sludge in a way
that after short operating time the mixed liquor will change too.
The activated sludge of this RBBR-system is characterised by a low sludge volume
index. Therefore it's possible to operate the plant with always higher concentrations
of mixed liquor than in conventional activated sludge plants.

Small RBBR Unit

6
Part 2

RBBR Treatment System 1000 m3/day

RBBR
Production line of RBBR units

2.3

Biological Reactor:

The treatment of the wastewater by the activated sludge process, with regards to
process technology, operating and economic aspects, places the following requirements on the biological reactor (biotank):
- Sufficient enrichment of the biomass, measured simplified
as the mixed liquor suspended solids concentration of the
activated sludge (MLSS) and the density of growth on the
fixed film surface area.
- Sufficient oxygen transfer to cover the oxygen uptake and
its control to match the different operating and loading
conditions.
- Sufficient mixing in order to prevent a permanent settling
of sludge on the tank bottom. As a rule, using this RBBR system a sufficient mixing is given all the time even when
the speed of the wheel will be reduced in times of less oxygen demand. An additional mixing device is not necessary.

- No nuisances caused by odours, aerosols, noise and vibrations. Simple slow-speed operation reduces operating noise
and vibrations. This RBBR-process operates with virtually
no problem-causing odours; the oxygen supply is always
more than sufficient. The turbulence is only in the water
and inside of the wheel. No aerosols are released into the
air.

7
Part 2

RBBR Treatment System 1000 m3/day

RBBR
Secondary Settling Tank (Final Clarifier)
Secondary settling tanks have the main task of separating the activated sludge from
the biologically treated wastewater.
The loading capacity of an activated sludge plant is determined substantially by the
concentration of suspended solids of the activated sludge and the volume of the
aeration tank. This RBBR-system is additionally influenced by the concentration of
the fixed film sludge.
In this project a secondary settling tank clarifier is a cross flow horizontal clarifier.
The sludge will return into the biotank by RAS pump. Waste sludge will be transferred to the sludge drying beds.

End of Part 2

8
Part 2