An MBR–RO train treated high-ammonia landfill leachate to discharge standard with 99% ammonia and 95% COD removal.
A landfill’s leachate carried 1,500 mg/L ammonia and refractory COD that overwhelmed the existing biological stage.
For environmental operators, biological treatment problems of this kind translate straight into cost and risk — higher chemical and energy use, lost treatment capacity, a heavier maintenance burden and, ultimately, the threat of a discharge-consent breach. The temptation is to bolt on equipment and hope; the reliable route is to measure the actual stream first, understand what is really driving the problem, and only then select and size the treatment. That diagnostic discipline is where this project started.
Reynolds & Bauhm engineered an integrated response sized to the measured duty rather than a catalogue specification. The solution combined several coordinated measures:
This is a representative scenario showing how Reynolds & Bauhm approaches a environmental challenge of this type. Figures are typical of the technology applied; every project is sized and validated to your own data.
Nitrifying MBR with alkalinity dosing. RO polish for refractory COD and salinity. Antiscalant and pH control on RO feed. Concentrate management plan. Each stage was selected against the stream analysis and sized with a sensible design margin, then drawn up as a P&ID and functional design specification. The system was built and, where appropriate, factory wet-tested before delivery, so that interface and performance risks were resolved in the works rather than on site. Commissioning included calibration of the instruments and tuning of the control loops against live conditions, with operator training and full O&M documentation at handover — so the plant met its targets from start-up and stayed there.
| Parameter | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Ammonia | 1,500 mg/L | <10 mg/L |
| COD | 3,000 mg/L | <150 mg/L |
| Compliance | intermittent | 100% |
Beyond the headline figures, the project delivered reliable, repeatable compliance and a measurable reduction in operating cost — the combination that justifies the investment and protects the site against tightening regulation.
The treatment train was built around a real stream analysis, not an assumption — the single biggest determinant of whether a environmental plant succeeds.
Each stage earns its place against the measured load, avoiding both under-treatment and the cost of over-engineering.
Factory testing, commissioning and full documentation mean the result is provable and auditable, not just claimed.
The same engineering approach transfers to comparable environmental sites with similar biological treatment duties.
Our engineers can assess feasibility and propose a validated, sized solution for your environmental application. Send us your flow, stream analysis and target consent and we will scope the treatment train, size it and set out the options.
Our expertise spans multiple industries with sector-specific water treatment solutions.