Between the three variants of the AnMBR, there are many factors that weigh into their industrial use.
Cost: The submerged AnMBR variant is the most cost-effective due to the low negative pressure requirements. In addition, the liquid does not need to be pumped into an external chamber to go through the filtration process. Due to both of these characteristics of the submerged AnMBR, it has a lower energy requirement, therefore costing less to operate than the external AnMBR variants.
Operability: The external AnMBR/ external submerged AnMBR variants are the most advantageous in terms of operability. In these variants, less membrane fouling occurs, and therefore these variants are functional for long periods of time. Additionally, due to the two units being separated, they are much simpler to clean when compared with the submerged AnMBR.
Size: While one of the main overall advantages of the AnMBR is its relatively compact size, the submerged AnMBR variant is the most compact of the three, keeping all of its operations within a single unit.
Despite the disadvantages that the submerged AnMBR harbors in terms of operability, its cost and size are both desirable traits to companies, subsequently making it the frequented variant in the industry.