Buried or covered reactor
Locating UltraFlux™ outside provides membrane access without housing them inside the existing tank. Connections are adapted to available elevations and access.
UltraFlux™ · Industrial wastewater retrofitsTurn your treatment plant
Turn your treatment plant
into an external MBR.
Make use of your biological reactor. Install filtration outside the tank. Retain biomass and extract treated water without relying on settling.
A new separation step.
Your reactorExisting biological treatment
→←
UltraFlux™External filtration
Make use of biological volume. Keep biomass in the process.
Make use of what you have
When the reactor works. And separation is the bottleneck.
An external MBR combines biological treatment with membrane separation outside the reactor. UltraFlux™ receives mixed liquor, separates permeate and returns retained biomass to the process. Biological treatment breaks down biodegradable organic matter; the membrane separates solids.
Limited space inside the reactor
Separate the location of biological treatment and filtration. Position the skid in an accessible area with the clearance needed for operation and cleaning.
SBR conversion
Extract effluent through membranes and reconsider time allocated to settling and decanting. Coordinate equalization, aeration and operating sequences with the revised balance.
Solids carryover in the effluent
Replace reliance on sludge settleability with a physical separation barrier. Also assess the biological causes of solids carryover and the load reaching the plant.
How an external MBR works
Biology degrades. UltraFlux™ separates.
- 01 / PreparePretreatment and equalization
Buffer flow, load and pH.
- 02 / DegradeExisting biological reactor
Biomass breaks down biodegradable organic matter.
- 03 / SeparateUltraFlux™
Outside-in crossflow UF installed outside the reactor.
- 04 / RecoverClarified permeate
Discharge or further treatment to suit the water destination.
← Biomass return to the reactor
Mixed liquor loop · From the reactor to UltraFlux™; retentate returns to the process.
Controlled sludge wasting · Sludge removal to control biomass age.
Value for an existing plant
MBR benefits. With access from outside.
Retain the reactor
Use the available civil infrastructure and biological volume, adapting aeration, mixing and connections to the new process.
Retain biomass
The membrane returns microorganisms to treatment. Sludge wasting controls sludge age with less dependence on settling.
Clarify the effluent
Separate retainable solids to obtain a clarified stream and support further treatment when required by the water destination.
Access filtration
Modules, instrumentation and connections outside the tank make inspections, train isolation and cleaning easier to plan.
Plan expansions
Modular filtration supports staged expansion alongside hydraulic, biological and aeration capacity.
Prepare water recovery
Define quality for the intended use and combine the MBR with any additional barriers required. Water reuse starts with its destination.
Choosing the configuration
Design around your plant.
| Criterion | External MBR with UltraFlux™ | Submerged MBR |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Filtration skid outside the reactor; feed and return loop. | Membranes in the reactor or a separate membrane tank. |
| Access and maintenance | External access to modules, valves and cleaning. | Access, lifting and handling arrangements for submerged elements. |
| Existing plant integration | Connections, elevations, pumping and auxiliary skid space. | Geometry, civil works, membrane scouring air and tank access. |
| Energy | Account for recirculation, permeate, aeration and cleaning within a defined scope. | Account for scouring air, permeate, aeration and cleaning within the same scope. |
From concept to installation
Defined connections. Coordinated scope.
We start with your current process: average and peak flows, total and soluble COD, solids, temperature, pH, working volume and aeration. The goal is to address the bottleneck and define net production, connections and operating conditions.
A clear scope for your engineering team
Neptuno supplies UltraFlux™ and its required auxiliary equipment. Adaptations to biological treatment, equalization, aeration and civil works are coordinated with the engineering team and plant staff.
Answers to support your decision
Before transforming your treatment plant.
Can an MBR be installed without placing membranes inside the reactor?
Yes. In an external MBR, mixed liquor flows to a unit outside the tank. Permeate leaves the loop and retained biomass returns to the reactor.
Is this the same as UF after a clarifier?
These are different configurations. An MBR filters mixed liquor and returns biomass to the process. UF treating settled effluent is tertiary filtration. The connection point determines the role of UltraFlux™.
Can it increase treatment plant capacity?
It can address a separation bottleneck and allow a different biomass retention strategy. Final capacity also depends on load, biological volume, oxygen transfer, nutrients and hydraulics.
What happens to soluble COD and salts?
Biological treatment removes biodegradable soluble COD. Ultrafiltration retains the membrane-separable fraction; salts and non-retainable dissolved compounds may pass into permeate. Final quality is defined by the whole treatment process.
Can MBR permeate be reused directly?
Reuse is designed for a specific purpose. Depending on analysis and applicable technical, health and regulatory requirements, disinfection, reverse osmosis or other stages may be included.
Technical knowledge
Explore your application.
Technical guide
How to retrofit biological treatment with an external MBR
Technical guideExternal or submerged MBR: what changes in an industrial plant
Technical guideEffluent solids: when to consider membranes
Process fundamentals: US EPA · Membrane bioreactors. Equipment specifications follow UltraFlux™ documentation. View UltraFlux™ specifications.
Your next step
Request a technical proposal.
Tell us the flow rate, water quality and treatment objective.
We will review equipment selection, integration and the data needed to size your project.
Send project detailscomercial@neptunoes.comThe form opens here. You can also email us directly.