Eden Vale AMBR

AMBR system installed on a dairy effluent

ISCO AMBR

A containerised AMBR system installed on a tank farm in the UK

Geest AMBR

AMBR system installed at a vegetable washing facility

AMBR Samples

Samples from and an AMBR & RO effluent. From left to right; Raw Effluent, Biomass, AMBR Permeate and RO permeate. The RO permeate was reused in a vegetable and salad washing factory

Eden Vale AMBR

A typical permeate connection on an AMBR system

Aquabio Ltd - AMBR™ Process

Membrane Bioreactor Technology - The process

AMBR™ is an aerobic wastewater treatment solution, combining jet or slot aeration with membrane bioreactor technology. The process provides high quality wastewater treatment with low surplus sludge production.

The basic process is an intensive activated sludge system with high biomass concentrations (up to 30,000 mg/l) which enables a compact installation with high organic carbon removal and low surplus sludge yields.

The separation of biomass from the treated effluent is achieved by a crossflow ultrafiltration membrane system, thus producing very high quality effluent suitable for reclamation or potable reuse in combination with post treatment by reverse osmosis/disinfection (e.g. UV, ozonation, chlorination).

Please see the membrane technology page for details of the membrane design and operation. For details of our reduced energy membrane separation system please see our AMBR LE™and BIOVERT™ pages

Aeration and mixing is provided by the jet or slot aeration systems which delivers high oxygen mass transfer rates with easily accessible and low maintenance equipment.

Options can be provided for the unique use of the pressurised biomass return stream from the membrane separation system to provide the liquid motive force for the JETOX aeration and mixing system.

Industries and Markets

The AMBR™ system has been used successfully in the following industries:

Advantages of the AMBR™ Process

Low surplus sludge production compared to conventional aerobic processes due to uncoupling of the hydraulic and solids retention times.

High biomass population significantly reduces bioreactor volumes and ensures a robust and reliable process.

UF membrane separation eliminates the limitations and process problems (e.g. bulking) associated with conventional activated sludge settlement.

High quality, suspended solids free, treated effluent, requiring no further pre-treatment before tertiary membrane treatment and/or disinfection for potable water.

Separate control of air (oxygen) injection and reactor mixing functions, results in significantly reduced power use for processes with high fluctuations in reactor feed load. This also allows the system to be configured for nitrification/denitrification duty.

Sub-surface aeration and closed separation loop reduces aerosols/VOC emissions to the atmosphere.

Deep tank capability with very low air blower pressures further reduces treatment plant footprint requirements.

Recalcitrant (or Hard) COD is removed more easily compared to conventional aerobic processes, especially under thermophilic conditions.

Capability to upgrade existing overloaded activated sludge systems.

Can be configured for fully automatic operation, requiring minimal operator input.

Uses of Treated Water

Aerobic Processes and Sludge

Aerobic biological pre-treatment techniques remain the preferred core processes for effective bulk COD/BOD removal for organic wastestreams which are unsuited to anaerobic pre-treatment techniques, or require higher quality final effluents.

With increasing legislative and commercial pressures on waste sludge disposal, priority is now being given to reducing the production of sludge at source.

Disposal or handling of waste primary and secondary sludge now usually constitutes the single major operating cost for aerobic wastewater treatment plants.

High waste sludge volumes may also necessitate high capital expenditure on dewatering equipment or secondary digestion processes to reduce off-site disposal costs.

Some industrial sludges contain unacceptable levels of toxic or recalcitrant constituents for which disposal can be difficult or expensive.

AMBR™ enables enhanced management of bioreactor F/M ratios and sludge age resulting in improved control and reduction of waste sludge yields.

AMBR™ For Total Nitrogen Removal

Aquabio's membrane bioreactor technology has been applied for total nitrogen removal in high strength wastewaters. This enables very strict discharge requirements to be met using single and multiple nitrification and denitrification stages. One such plant has been designed and constructed for DEFRA in 2006. For more information please see this case study.

AMBR™ Mobile Pilot Plant

Mobile pilot plant for on-site treatability and proving trials.

AMBR Pilot Plant

AMBR™ Pilot Plant

Raw effluent COD concentrations from 1,000 to >50,000mg/l.

Blower assisted or self-entraining aeration options.

Mesophilic and thermophilic MBR operation.

Process monitoring instrumentation (dissolved O2, pH, temperature).

Investigation of effluents with recalcitrant (hard) COD - i.e. using high sludge ages, specialised microbiology and/or supplementary oxidation/chemical treatment.

Plant operation and Laboratory service is available in conjunction with Aquabio Limited.

The AMBR™ pilot plant can be used in conjunction with the RO pilot unit for post treatment to potable standards.