He Huanqi, Carlson Avery Lachlann, Wagner Brett, Yang Cheng, Cao Yi, Uzair Mohammed Dilshaad, Daigger Glen T
Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Dallas, Texas, USA.
Water Environ Res. 2025 Apr;97(4):e70065. doi: 10.1002/wer.70065.
The hybrid membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) process combines the advantages of the counter-diffusional biofilm and bubbleless aeration of the MABR with the good bioflocculation and carbon processing capabilities of suspended growth processes. These features result in a process with reduced physical footprint, excellent biological nutrient removal capabilities, potentially reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and significantly reduced energy requirements that can be easily retrofitted into existing suspended growth processes. Commercially introduced in the mid-2010s, the demonstrated advantages of the hybrid MABR process are resulting in rapid full-scale adoption. Meanwhile, researchers are advancing knowledge on the hybrid MABR process and revealing potential opportunities for improved performance. This paper summarizes recent findings and identifies areas that can be further developed to advance hybrid MABR process evaluation and development. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Rapid application of the hybrid MABR process is leading to significant new developments that can enhance performance. Sizing MABR for nearly complete nitrification allows significant downsizing of the bioreactor, coupled with excellent nitrogen removal and energy savings. Online exhaust gas % O and bulk ammonia concentration can be used to create a soft sensor characterizing changes in biofilm thickness enabling biofilm control to optimize performance. Further advancements through improved aeration control, configurations to achieve partial nitritation and annammox, and achieving granulation offer further significant advances.
混合膜曝气生物膜反应器（MABR）工艺结合了MABR的逆扩散生物膜和无泡曝气的优点以及悬浮生长工艺良好的生物絮凝和碳处理能力。这些特性使得该工艺占地面积减小、生物营养物去除能力优异、温室气体（GHG）排放量可能降低，并且能源需求显著减少，还能轻松改造以适应现有的悬浮生长工艺。混合MABR工艺在2010年代中期商业化推出，其已证明的优势促使其在全规模应用中迅速普及。与此同时，研究人员正在加深对混合MABR工艺的了解，并揭示性能提升的潜在机会。本文总结了近期的研究成果，并确定了可进一步开发以推进混合MABR工艺评估和发展的领域。从业者要点：混合MABR工艺的快速应用正在带来可提升性能的重大新进展。将MABR设计为近乎完全硝化可显著减小生物反应器尺寸，同时实现优异的氮去除和节能。在线废气中氧气百分比和氨的总体浓度可用于创建一个软传感器，以表征生物膜厚度的变化，从而实现生物膜控制以优化性能。通过改进曝气控制、实现部分亚硝化和厌氧氨氧化的配置以及实现颗粒化等进一步改进措施将带来更大的显著进展。
