A MBBR before an advanced sedimentation step was operated as new wastewater process scheme for maximum COD extraction. The objective of this biological reactor was to modify the soluble COD ratio in primary wastewater. At high loads, the MBBR is able to consume the soluble COD for bacteria activity with very little oxidation. This process changes the soluble COD into particulate COD which is better separate from the wastewater during the following step with coagulation, flocculation and micro sieve filtration. Goals were 95% removal of suspended solids and 80% of COD extracted through separation. To check these new scheme performances, a pilot plant (0.5 to 3 m³/h) was operated at the Stahnsdorf WWTP in the south of Berlin. First results showed that a HRT of 20-30 min and a load 40-60 g CODf /(m2*d) can be recommended for maximum accumulation and minimum oxidation and that the 80% of COD extraction can be achieved (at low oxygen concentration below 1 mg/L). However the performance difference between the scheme with or without MBBR did not exceed 8 %
Novel wastewater process scheme for maximum COD extraction: high load MBBR followed by microsieve filtration