MBR Wastewater Treatment Patent Landscape 2026
The MBR wastewater treatment field spans 1,211 patent families and is in a growth stage, with the recent three-year window running well ahead of the prior three-year window despite annual volume easing from its 2023 peak. BL Technology Inc holds the top position, but the field remains moderately fragmented across water-technology specialists, engineering firms, and universities.
BL Technology leads a moderately concentrated field of water-technology specialists
BL Technology Inc ranks first with 55 patent families, followed closely by Jiangxi JDL Environmental Protection Co Ltd (42) and Nalco Co (41). Evoqua Water Technologies and Zenon Tech Partnership round out the top five, giving the field a clear tier of dedicated water-technology players at the front.
The top five filers account for 23% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total, indicating moderate concentration: no single entity dominates, and a meaningful second tier of challengers — General Electric, Fibracast, Tsinghua University, Zenon Environmental, and others — sustains competitive pressure across multiple technical routes.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BL Technology Inc | 55 | |
| 2 | Jiangxi JDL Environmental Protection Co Ltd | 42 | |
| 3 | Nalco Company | 41 | |
| 4 | Evoqua Water Technologies LLC | 36 | |
| 5 | Zenon Tech Partnership | 32 | |
| 6 | General Electric Company | 29 | |
| 7 | Fibracast Ltd | 18 | |
| 8 | Tsinghua University | 17 | |
| 9 | Zenon Environmental Inc | 17 | |
| 10 | Praxair Technology Inc | 14 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Zero Discharge LLC | 14 | |
| 12 | Siemens Industry Inc | 13 | |
| 13 | DOOSAN HEAVY IND & CONSTR CO LTD | 13 | |
| 14 | Shanghai Supratec Membrane Technology Co Ltd | 12 | |
| 15 | CH2M Hill Inc | 12 | |
| 16 | Alfa Laval Corp AB | 12 | |
| 17 | Metawater Co Ltd | 12 | |
| 18 | Beijing University of Technology | 11 | |
| 19 | Carollo Engineers Inc | 11 | |
| 20 | Toray Industries Inc | 11 |
The leaders’ positions reflect a mix of industrial water-technology companies and engineering firms that have built broad portfolios spanning biological treatment, membrane filtration, and system integration. The presence of academic applicants such as Tsinghua University and Beijing University of Technology signals ongoing upstream research feeding the commercial pipeline.
The most recent 18–24 months are subject to publication lag and will be under-counted; rankings and totals should be read as a floor rather than a ceiling for current activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Multi-year growth remains intact despite a post-2023 easing in annual filings
Two charts capture the pace and composition of MBR wastewater treatment innovation: an annual filing trend showing the 2023 surge and subsequent lag-affected apparent dip, and a technology-class breakdown revealing the overwhelming dominance of core treatment chemistry alongside secondary filtration and bioprocess branches.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings climbed from 104 in 2017 to a peak of 223 in 2023, representing a 40% uplift across the recent multi-year window versus the prior equivalent period. The apparent decline in 2024 and 2025 reflects publication lag rather than a genuine contraction; those years should be treated as undercounts that will be revised upward as pending applications publish.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
C02F (Water and wastewater treatment) is by far the dominant class, reflecting the applied-chemistry core of MBR systems. B01D (Separation processes including filtration) forms a substantial secondary cluster, consistent with membrane module innovation. C12M (Bioreactors and enzyme apparatus) and B01F (Mixing and stirring) are present but considerably smaller, flagging them as under-served adjacent branches relative to the field’s commercial scope.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Wastewater treatment system and method of treating…
This disclosure describes wastewater treatment systems and methods of treating wastewater. In one exemplary method, a wastewater is split into first and second wastewater fractions. The first fraction is delivered to a membrane bioreactor, which may produce an effluent with a low pollutant concentration, and the second fraction is delivered to a biological… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Modular shipboard membrane bioreactor system for c… | 165 |
| 2 | Filtration apparatus comprising a membrane bioreac… | 155 |
| 3 | Submerged membrane bioreactor for treatment of nit… | 142 |
| 4 | Organic slurry treatment process | 138 |
| 5 | Organic slurry treatment process | 134 |
| 6 | Method for treating wastewater in a membrane biore… | 131 |
| 7 | Zero excess sludge membrane bioreactor | 130 |
| 8 | Method and apparatus for treatment of wastewater e… | 107 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the patent structure means for R&D investment decisions
China-dominant filing jurisdiction defines the strategic context for any new entrant or incumbent seeking to position in MBR wastewater treatment.
Growth stage with annual volume easing from its 2023 peak
The field is classified as Growth: the recent three-year filing window sits 40% above the prior three-year window on a multi-year basis, confirming the space is still expanding. However, annual volume has eased from the 2023 peak of 223 filings, and the most recent years are further understated by publication lag. Investors should expect the pipeline to be fuller than current counts suggest.
Lifecycle: GrowthModerate concentration with a deep challenger tier
The top five filers hold 23% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total — meaningful concentration but far from a duopoly. BL Technology’s lead of 55 patent families is only modestly ahead of Jiangxi JDL (42) and Nalco (41), leaving the ranking competitive. A challenger tier of at least ten additional active applicants, including Evoqua, Zenon, General Electric, Fibracast, and several universities, sustains rivalry across sub-segments.
Moderate concentrationTsinghua University anchors the most active co-filing network
Tsinghua University is the most prolific co-filer, appearing in collaborations with Beijing Originwater Technology, the Tsinghua Suzhou Environmental Innovation Institute, Jiangsu Pall Membrane, the University of Queensland, and Guoneng Water Environmental Protection — each pairing generating two joint families. Zenon Environmental and OTV Omnium de Traitements et de Valorisation SA produced the most active single bilateral pair with four joint families. General Electric and BL Technology also co-filed together. These linkages suggest that academic-industrial partnerships are a preferred route to technology transfer in this field.
University-industry co-filingChina is the dominant filing jurisdiction by a wide margin
China accounts for 1,194 patent records, far exceeding the United States (257), Europe via EPO (151), South Korea (106), and WIPO PCT (102). Canada, Australia, India, and Japan form a secondary tier. The China concentration reflects both domestic demand for municipal and industrial MBR systems and the strategic importance of local patent protection for Chinese applicants. Entrants targeting North American or European deployment should note that those jurisdictions remain active but are much smaller filing destinations.
China-dominantGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Zenon Environmental Inc | OTV OMNIUM DE TRAITEMENTS & DE VALORISATION SA | 4 |
| Tsinghua University | Beijing Originwater Technology Co Ltd | 3 |
| General Electric Company | BL Technology Inc | 2 |
| Jiangxi JDL Environmental Protection Co Ltd | Shenzhen JDL Investment Management Co Ltd | 2 |
| Zenon Environmental Inc | OTV SA | 2 |
| Tsinghua University | Tsinghua Suzhou Environmental Innovation Institute | 2 |
| Tsinghua University | Jiangsu Pall Membrane Co Ltd | 2 |
| Tsinghua University | The University of Queensland | 2 |
| Tsinghua University | Guoneng Water Environmental Protection Co Ltd | 2 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
BL Technology and Jiangxi JDL lead; Fibracast shows a sharp recent decline
The top two applicants are differentiated by technical emphasis: BL Technology balances biological treatment with membrane filtration, while Jiangxi JDL concentrates almost exclusively on core biological treatment. Momentum data show both leaders as new entrants in the recent window — a pattern consistent with portfolio restructuring or entity renaming — while Fibracast’s filing rate has dropped sharply.
BL Technology Inc
BL Technology Inc leads the ranking with 55 patent families. Its technology emphasis spans C02F 3 (biological wastewater treatment), B01D 61 (pressure-driven membrane separation), and C02F 1 (physical-chemical pre-treatment), indicating a balanced MBR systems portfolio. Momentum data flag it as a new entrant in the recent filing window, suggesting possible entity consolidation or rebranding from a prior entity (General Electric) rather than a genuinely new market participant.
families: 55Jiangxi JDL Environmental Protection Co Ltd
Jiangxi JDL Environmental Protection Co Ltd holds 42 patent families and concentrates its portfolio tightly on C02F 3 (biological treatment), with limited secondary coverage in C02F 1 and C02F 9 (combined treatment processes). This narrower focus compared to BL Technology suggests specialization in biological MBR process chemistry rather than full system integration. Like BL Technology, it appears as a new entrant in the recent momentum window.
families: 42| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| BL Technology Inc | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| Tsinghua University | 1 | ▲ new entrant |
| Fibracast Ltd | 2 | ▼ -87% |
Bioreactor apparatus and mixing technology are under-served adjacent branches
Within the 1,211-family MBR wastewater corpus, two IPC branches sit at low counts relative to the dominant C02F and B01D classes, making them observable as under-served areas that may warrant closer technical scrutiny.
C12M · Bioreactors and enzyme apparatus
C12M appears in 43 patent records against C02F’s 2,143 — a fraction of the dominant class. MBR systems inherently depend on microbial community management and bioreactor engineering, so the sparse C12M coverage suggests that bioreactor design optimized specifically for MBR contexts (e.g., biofilm support structures, enzyme-enhanced membranes) is not yet heavily protected. An entrant with bioprocess engineering capabilities could explore this adjacency, though the technical crossover with C02F and B01D means freedom-to-operate analysis is essential before treating sparsity as a clear entry signal.
Search this in Eureka →B01F · Mixing and stirring
B01F accounts for 39 patent records — comparable in size to C12M and similarly sparse relative to the field’s scale. Mixing dynamics govern aeration efficiency, sludge homogeneity, and membrane fouling rates in MBR systems, yet dedicated mixing-apparatus patents are few. This gap could reflect that mixing is typically claimed within broader C02F system claims rather than as standalone apparatus — a hypothesis worth testing via claim-level analysis before concluding that a genuine filing opportunity exists.
Search this in Eureka →How leading applicants differ across core MBR technology routes
Route coverage across the main technology branches in the current evidence set.
| Player | C02F 3 · Water & wastewater treatment | C02F 1 · Water & wastewater treatment | C02F 9 · Water & wastewater treatment | C02F 101 · Water & wastewater treatment | B01D 65 · Separation processes (filtration etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Electric Company | Strong · 52 | Strong · 27 | Emerging · 5 | Absent | Absent |
| Nalco Company | Strong · 45 | Strong · 35 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co Ltd | Strong · 28 | Strong · 18 | Moderate · 6 | Absent | Strong · 22 |
| Siemens Water Technologies Corp | Strong · 28 | Moderate · 11 | Moderate · 12 | Absent | Moderate · 8 |
| Zenon Environmental Inc | Strong · 29 | Strong · 22 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| BL Technology Inc | Strong · 27 | Strong · 15 | Absent | Emerging · 3 | Absent |
| Jiangxi JDL Environmental Protection Co Ltd | Strong · 40 | Absent | Absent | Absent | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The evidence dataset contains 1,211 patent families in scope for MBR wastewater treatment, spanning multiple jurisdictions and filing years.
BL Technology Inc leads with 55 patent families, ahead of Jiangxi JDL Environmental Protection Co Ltd (42) and Nalco Co (41). These three form the top tier of a moderately concentrated field.
China is the dominant jurisdiction with 1,194 patent records — far exceeding the United States (257), Europe via EPO (151), South Korea (106), and WIPO PCT (102). This reflects both domestic demand and the strategic filing behavior of Chinese applicants.
The field is in a Growth stage. The recent three-year filing window sits 40% above the prior three-year equivalent, confirming multi-year expansion. Annual volume peaked in 2023 at 223 filings and has eased since, though recent years are understated by publication lag.
Tsinghua University is the most prolific co-filer, with recorded joint-filing pairs involving Beijing Originwater Technology, the Tsinghua Suzhou Environmental Innovation Institute, Jiangsu Pall Membrane, the University of Queensland, and Guoneng Water Environmental Protection. The most active single bilateral pair is Zenon Environmental with OTV Omnium de Traitements et de Valorisation SA (four joint families).
C12M (Bioreactors and enzyme apparatus) and B01F (Mixing and stirring) both appear at low counts — 43 and 39 patent records respectively — relative to the dominant C02F class. These branches are adjacent to core MBR function and may represent areas where dedicated patent activity is sparse, though claim-level analysis is needed to confirm whether coverage is genuinely absent or subsumed within broader C02F claims.
Ready to map your own MBR wastewater treatment landscape?
Join 18,000+ innovators using PatSnap Eureka to map any technology landscape: search 2B+ patents and papers, surface key assignees, and generate a report like this in minutes.
Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. PatSnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.