Membrane bioreactors for sustainable water management
Introduction The Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) process (membrane activated sludge process) is an advanced wastewater treatment technology and constitutes a suspended growth activated sludge system, which instead of secondary clarifiers utilises low-pressure membranes for solid/liquid separation. As opposed to secondary clarification, the quality of solids separation is not dependent upon the mixed liquor suspended solids concentration, or the settling characteristic. Hence the fact that MBRs can operate with much higher mixed liquor suspended solid concentrations, which provides an intensified biological process. Accordingly, the two major benefits of the MBR process are substantially reduced land and space requirements, and the reclamation of water (permeate) of excellent quality, which is a valuable source for higher demand reuse applications.
Pre-Treatment of Municipal MBR Applications in Germany- Current Status and Treatment Efficiency
Since mid 1999 MBR technology is introduced into domestic wastewater treatment in Germany. First wwtps went in operation performing a conventional mechanical treatment (covering screens, grit chambers and grease traps) without any advanced mechanical pre-treatment stage. After a short operation period module-clogging and hence module sludging was observed. Thus, mechanical pre-treatment was upgraded introducing sieves, first of all to reduce hairs and fibrous substances. But today knowledge is relatively poor concerning effectiveness and treatment efficiency of the whole bunch of aggregates that had been brought to market and vary e.g. in gap size and gap geometry. This paper gives the basics of sieving, the current status of mechanical pre-treatment on German municipal MBR plants and exemplifies an investigation to determine treatment efficiency of two different sieve aggregates.
Membrane Bioreactors for Municipal Wastewater Treatment
Recent technical innovations and significant cost reductions have sharply increased the potential for using Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) technology in municipal wastewater treatment. MBR technology displays several advantages compared to the traditional activated sludge processes, such as high effluent quality, limited space requirement and with the possibility of a flexible and phased extension of existing waste water treatment plants.

Membrane Bioreactors for Municipal Wastewater Treatment describes the results of a comparative research programme involving four leading membrane suppliers: Kubota (Japan), Mitsubishi (Japan), X-Flow (Netherlands) and Zenon (Canada). Each supplier provided a pilot to represent a suitable scale - right up to full scale. These pilots were operated and optimised in the course of the research programme to achieve the best operating window under different operating regimes. The research focussed on the functionality of the membrane, the biological treatment, membrane fouling, achieved effluent quality, and system operability as well as other factors. In a number of side studies the required pre-treatment, membrane fouling/cleaning, energy usage, effluent quality and sludge processing were also addressed.

The comparative pilot research was carried out by DHV Water on location at the wastewater treatment plant at Beverwijk in the Netherlands.

This title belongs to Water and Wastewater Practitioner Series 

ISBN: 9781843390114 (Print)

ISBN: 9781780402925 (eBook)