Design and Startup of the First Full-Scale Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor in the United States

The Yorkville-Bristol Sanitary District implemented a membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) in conjunction with an anaerobic selector for enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) to treat increased organic loadings while meeting a new total phosphorus effluent limit. This is the first full-scale MABR installation in the United States and experience and lessons learned from the design, construction, and start-up of the MABR system are shared in this paper. An active biofilm was established within three weeks of start-up. Performance of the MABR has been stable with average oxygen transfer rate and oxygen transfer efficiency values of 10.8 g-O2/d/m2 and 33.3%, respectively. This is equivalent to a biofilm nitrification rate of 2.36 g-N/d/m2, which is within range of data reported in the literature. The presence of a nitrifying biofilm was corroborated by qPCR analysis that showed AOB and NOB populations much higher than would be observed in conventional activated sludge mixed liquor.