HUBER SE and MICRODYN-NADIR launch joint MBR technology at Munich's IFAT 2016

MICRODYN-NADIR and HUBER have announced the joint development of what is said to be the largest MBR module available on the market, a rotating system which carries membrane laminate technology by MICRODYN-NADIR. The companies' aim is lower operating and investment costs as well as an increase in reliability and packing density.

The VRM^® system by HUBER is a rotating membrane system. The membrane modules are submerged into the activated sludge and are mounted segmentally onto air tubes. The trapezoidal membrane segments are rotated through an air induced flushing stream driven by a filter drive. The rising air bubbles continuously clean the membrane laminate sheets. The cover layer in the interstices of the laminate sheets is removed reliably and therefore fouling can be significantly reduced. The energy demand is minimised at the same time.

The trapezoidal membrane segments use BIO-CEL^® technology, developed by MICRODYN-NADIR – the membrane and module supplier from Wiesbaden. Instead of equipping the trapezoidal segments with a NADIR^® flat sheet membrane welded onto a plate as before, HUBER is now utilising the membrane laminate technology based on NADIR^® flat sheet membrane.

Unlike a plate and frame construction, the BIO-CEL^® is backwashable like a hollow fiber module and is the only module design that can be cleaned mechanically. The Mechanical Cleaning Process (MCP) minimises chemical demand, saving cost and minimising downtime. The BIO-CEL^® membrane laminate technology is also equipped with a self-healing mechanism which allows the laminate to 'heal' itself in less than 2 minutes.