Sunday, February 10, 2013

What Is A Membrane Bioreactor?

What is a membrane bioreactor
So you desire to understand what this really is? You would be surprised how often individuals inquire about that question by seeking the world wide web. That's the reason we now have composed this article to describe what family or friends will feel you unaware or even ridiculous for inquiring the things they might think would have been a foolish issue.

In principle, a membrane bioreactor combines biological treatment with a separation process using microfiltration membranes. An advantage of the net is that you can ask these queries about just about any topic, and always with no stress that your buddies think of what you ought really to already know about!


So, I want to now get on with answering your problem by what a membrane bioreactor or "MBR" really is.

It is a sophisticated water treatment system commonly used for strong organic effluent treatment as in for example the aerobic treatment of landfill leachate.


First, a Membrane Bioreactor consists of a reactor tank and a microfiltration unit, which can be defined as: the use of membranes to allow the almost complete elimination of suspended solids from the effluent, with the conservation of all bacteria in the reactor while also removing BOD and COD and ammoniacal nitrogen concentration which is largely converted to the nitrate form in solution.

To make that clearer, here is a list of instances in which a membrane bioreactor might be used, as follows:


  • It is also an MBR when referred to by many people, and also some will include an 
  • MBR in a Reverse Osmosis Plant when treating landfill leachate.

So let's attempt to simplify items.

These can be classified into the following types of MBR Plant,as follows:


  • MBR with Reverse Osmosis, 
  • MBR with Activated Carbon, 
  • MBR with Nanofiltration etc.

The main of those is:

MBR with Reverse Osmosis

Their unique characteristic is the fact that in the reactor, the micro-organisms which are mostly bacteria transform dissolved polluted matter into biomass, and NH4 nitrogen (“ammonia”) into nitrate. In this way biodegradable organic contaminants are eliminated by the bioreactor as well as a number of metals which are oxidized into mostly insoluble compounds. The suspended solids are then eliminated from the flow by the microfiltration membrane.

The key issue, to consider about membrane filtration, is that it allows the retention of non-soluble molecules having a high molecular weight and in that way increases their residence/retention time and also as a result increases the extent to which of biodegradation occurs inside the biological reactor (bioreactor).

Now that you have see this article you should know far more about the use of membrane bioreactors or "MBRs" for leachate treatment, and this will, we hope have made it easier for, you. 

Using this method of this research you have applied the services of the net intelligently to answer a really distinct query which can be important to you at this time resolve. 

Now reader, you can instantly compliment yourself for your learning and by educating yourself, most of us need to obtain increased good results in your lifestyles, so we surely think that you're going to experience that as well

Uncover how you can use the MBR with Reverse Osmosis treatment system by visiting the membrane bioeractors page on the website at leachate.co.uk/main/leachate-treatment/how-a-membrane-bioreactor-is-used-to-treat-landfill-leachate/.

Friday, February 01, 2013

Answers to Current Questions Being Asked About Leachate Treatment

Answers to Questions About Leachate
We have compiled a list of the most common questions being asked at the moment about leachate treatment and leachate management for landfill sites. Top of the list of these are:



  1. What Is Leachate?
  2. What Is A Leachate Attenuation Zone?
  3. How To Calculate Leachate Generation?
  4. What Are Leachate?
  5. What Causes Leachate?


These are all questions which are answered at our main web site at www.leachate.co.uk .

However, to assist our readers I will provide quick answers below:

1.What Is Leachate?

Leachate is the contaminated liquid which runs out of another material, in our case we are talking about landfill leachate, and the dirty water that accumulates in, or runs out of the bottom of, landfill sites.

2. What Is A Leachate Attenuation Zone?

A Leachate Attenuation Zone is a soil material which is only partially permeable through which leachate flows (usually by gravity) and as it flows through slowly it becomes less contaminated ("cleaner"). The reduction in contamination can take place by biological action or by physico-chemical action.

3. How To Calculate Leachate Generation?

This can be difficult and there are several sophisticated water balance modelling softwares which will attempt to do this for you. The problem with using them is in understanding how they work and whether you can trust them to give the right answer. I usually carry out a water balance using  a spreadsheet, on an annualized basis. Contact me if you need assistance with a water balance problem for a landfill at http://ipptsassociates.co.uk/contact/  .

4. What Are Leachate?

Although this comes up as a question a lot online, it is grammatically incorrect and makes no real sense. See answer 1. above.

5. What Causes Leachate?

In modern landfills which do not accept liquids for disposal, it is mostly the organic matter (food scraps, grass mowings etc) which are in a municipal waste landfill which decay to form leachate. During decay, the cells of the organic material rupture and the contents of the cells dissolves in rainfall trickling through the leachate producing a smelly, and quite often black liquid which over time (if left in the landfill) usually turns into an amber liquid which often smells of ammonia, but may just smell "earthy".

For more information about commonly asked leachate questions visit our website at the leachate expert  .

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