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Toward a High‐Rate Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Process in a Membrane‐Assisted Bioreactor
Author(s) -
Monti Alessandro,
Hall Eric R.,
Koch Fred A.,
Dawson Robert N.,
Husain Hadi,
Kelly Harlan G.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143007x156790
Subject(s) - hydraulic retention time , phosphorus , effluent , chemical oxygen demand , enhanced biological phosphorus removal , nitrification , wastewater , chemistry , membrane bioreactor , pulp and paper industry , bioreactor , nutrient , suspended solids , nitrogen , sewage treatment , environmental engineering , denitrification , environmental chemistry , environmental science , activated sludge , organic chemistry , engineering
A membrane enhanced biological phosphorus removal (MEBPR) process was studied to determine the impact of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and solids retention time (SRT) on the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen, and phosphorus from municipal wastewater. The MEBPR process was capable of delivering complete nitrification independent of the prevailing operating conditions, whereas a significant improvement in COD removal efficiency was observed at longer SRTs. In the absence of carbon‐limiting conditions, the MEBPR process was able to achieve low phosphorus concentrations in the effluent at increasingly higher hydraulic loads, with the lowest HRT being 5 hours. The MEBPR process was also able to maintain optimal phosphorus removal when the SRT was increased from 12 to 20 days. However, at higher suspended solids concentrations, a substantial increase was observed in carbon utilization per unit mass of phosphorus removed from the influent. These results offer critical insights to the application of membrane technology for biological nutrient removal systems.