CASE STUDY:
Moorhead WPCF - Moorhead, MN
Customer: City of Moorhead
Wastewater Pollution Control Facility Achieves
High Rate Nitrification with MBBR Installation
Industry:
Municipal
Location:
Moorhead, Minnesota, USA
Background
The Moorhead Wastewater Pollution Control Facility (WPCF), located in Minnesota, is one of the oldest installations using Moving Bed
Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) technology to treat the wastewater generated in the community, managing six million gallons of wastewater
per day. In 2002, the facility completed a comprehensive evaluation of treatment options, including biological wastewater treatment
processes and conventional methods.
In the MBBR process, microorganisms
growing in the biofilms attach to the
interior protected surface area of
plastic media. The media moves freely,
suspended in the liquid of the reactor or
basin. Biofilms growing on ActiveCell®
media provide a more resilient, dense
treatment population per unit volume
compared to conventional suspended
growth activated sludge systems.
Q U A L I T Y T H AT N E V E R Q U I T S
Moorhead Performance Data for May
Media Installed the Week Prior to April 1st
45.00
Q (mgd)
40.00
T (C)
35.00
30.00
1.60
NH3-N in (mg/L)
1.40
NH3-N Load (gr/m2/d)
Design Load
1.20
1.00
20.00
0.80
15.00
0.60
10.00
5.00
1.80
pH
NH3-N out (mg/L)
25.00
2.00
0.40
NH3-N<6mg/L
0.20
0.00
0
5
10
15
Time (days)
20
25
0.00
30
NH3-N Load (gr/m2/d)
The engineering team at Headworks
BIO™ Inc. (formerly Hydroxyl Systems
Inc.) developed an innovative design
process using attached growth biological
treatment, known as MBBR technology.
Moorhead WPCF - Moorhead, MN
“Since commencing operation, our MBBR has proven
to require very minimal operator attention, effectively
nitrifies even during the cold winters in Moorhead, and
adapts well to fluctuations in loading.”
-Andy Bradshaw
Utilities Engineer for the City of Moorhead
ActiveCell Solution
Design
After researching the comparative
technologies and completing a five month
pilot program to test the effectiveness
of ActiveCell media, the MBBR design
was selected as the most efficient, costeffective solution for the large municipal
wastewater treatment plant.
The full scale wastewater pollution control
facility was engineered and designed
by worldwide engineering firm CDM,
retrofitting an existing aerated pond.
The plant was them commissioned in
March 2003 by Headworks BIO Inc.
The ActiveCell450 media are used for a
separate-stage MBBR nitrification system
designed to nitrify ammonia, meeting
seasonal compliance standards of less
than 4 mg/L NH3 for effluent discharge to
the Red River.
CASE STUDY
to provide and maintain a MLSS
concentration for activated sludge
processes. It is also capable of providing
high rate nitrification even during
exceptionally cold winter conditions
in Minnesota while meeting stringent
discharge parameters during the early
days of Spring.
The self regulating biofilm process exhibits
controlled sloughing rates and requires
minimal operator attention. When asked
how the system is running today, Andy
Bradshaw, Utilities Engineer for the City
of Moorhead, said, “Since commencing
operation, our MBBR system has proven
to require very minimal operator attention,
effectively nitrifies even during cold
winters in Moorhead, and adapts well to
fluctuations in loading.” The advantages
associated with installing the MBBR
process have continued, after nearly a
decade of operation, truly making this
installation a success.
The separate-stage MBBR nitrification
process uses free floating media that
provide 402 m2/m3 of internally protected
active surface area. The process can be
expanded by simply adding additional
media and increasing the air supply to
the diffuser system.
Results
Biofilms growing on ActiveCell media
provide a more resilient, dense treatment
population per unit volume compared to
conventional suspended growth activated
sludge systems.
The MBBR process has provided
many advantages to Moorhead WPCF,
including the ability to operate on a
single-pass, without the need of a post
clarification process typically required
in conventional treatment systems,
Installation of ActiveCell media into the
Moorhead WPCF nitrification reactor.
To learn more about achieving high rate nitrification using
MBBR technology, contact:
Headworks BIO Inc.
+1 (713) 647 6667
hwbio@headworksbio.com
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