Application of the air suction flow biofilm reactor (ASF-BR) technology in the treatment of primary treated municipal wastewater

A novel wastewater treatment system, the air suction flow biofilm reactor (ASF-BR), has been developed for the treatment of high strength wastewaters. The novel technology comprises;(i) two sealed reactors each containing plastic media upon which bacteria biofilm can grow,(ii) a vacuum pump,(iii) a number of motorised valves and,(iv) simple automated control. Biological treatment occurs by moving the wastewater between the two reactors using a partial vacuum. Thus passive aeration occurs by alternately exposing biofilm that has developed on the plastic media to air moving into the reactor. Furthermore the sealed nature of the reactors means that gases developed during the biological processes can be captured and further treated.