Evaluation of High Rate MBBR to Predict Optimal Design Parameters for Higher Carbon and Subsequent Ammoniacal Nitrogen Removal

The high rate moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) processes were designed for wastewater treatment to meet the past effluent discharge norms of biological oxygen demand (BOD) <50 mg/l. However, they are incapable of meeting current effluent discharge norms which consist of BOD <10 mg/l and total nitrogen <10 mg/l. This study analyses the effect and variation of organic loading rate from 1.21 kg to 4.59 kg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/(m³ day) and surface loading rate from 4.9 g to 24 g COD/(m² day) on a high rate MBBR performance. The results of COD reduction (COD_red) and subsequent ammoniacal nitrogen reduction (NH3–Nred) were in the range of 65.4% to 87.8% and 11.8% to 47.2% respectively. The projected graphical optimization defines the design parameters for MBBR and also predicts COD_red and subsequent NH₃–N_red. By understanding this subsequent NH₃–N_red in the MBBR system, future designs for engineering technologies will be aided.