Optimizing IFAS and MBBR Designs Using Full-Scale Data

Powerful models and a wealth of full-scale data are available for designing integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) and moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) facilities today that were not available ten years ago. The question now is not “how much media is needed?” but “how can we minimize costs and maximize plant capacity by placing the right amount of media in the right place?” The IFAS facility in Broomfield, Colorado, and the MBBR facility at the Williams Monaco Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in South Adams County, Colorado, have been in service for over four years. Operators have documented biomass quantities and nutrient profiles within individual zones over the years, and this full-scale data, coupled with pilot-scale and bench-scale test results, has been key to optimizing the plant expansions. The Broomfield Phase 2 expansion is currently under construction, and the Williams Monaco expansion is in the study phase.