Full scale moving bed biofilm reactor results from refinery and slaughter house treatment facilities

Two Kaldnes moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR(TM)) full scale treatment plan ts were commissioned in 1999, following successful pilot tests which genera ted the design data. The MBBR plants are incorporated into each facility as roughing reactors ahead of existing activated sludge processes. Results fr om the first three months of operation at the Phillips refinery showed surf ace area loading rates (SALR) averaging 27 g COD/m(2)/day or twice those se en in the pilot study while percent removals remained constant at 62%. Perf ormance at the Valley Pride Pack facility showed >90% removal of soluble BO D at SALR of 20 g/m(2)/day in one reactor while nitrification removal rates up to 0.83 g NH3-N/m(2)/day have been seen in the second stage of the MBBR treatment system.