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Evaluation of a Gravity Flow Membrane Bioreactor for Treating Municipal Wastewater
Author(s) -
Platten William E.,
Campo Pablo,
Suidan Makram T.,
Venosa Albert D.
Publication year - 2018
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 - 10.2175/106143017x15131012152744
Subject(s) - wastewater , chemical oxygen demand , chemistry , bioreactor , hydraulic retention time , denitrification , anoxic waters , membrane bioreactor , pulp and paper industry , total dissolved solids , volatile suspended solids , membrane reactor , environmental engineering , nitrogen , membrane , environmental chemistry , environmental science , biochemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
The biomass concentrator reactor (BCR), a gravity flow membrane bioreactor (MBR) design, was evaluated for use in treating a municipal wastewater stream. The BCR operates with less than 2.5 cm of pressure head and uses a 3 to 4 mm thick tortuous path membrane with pore size ranging from 18 to 28 μm to achieve solids separation. A two‐stage, aerobic/anoxic reactor was evaluated for the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia, total nitrogen, and solids separation. The reactor was fed 72 L/day, with a hydraulic retention time of 9.3 hours, and had a solids retention time of 20 days. The influent COD was reduced by 93%, whereas, influent ammonia was reduced below 0.1 mg/L and total nitrogen was reduced by 53.7%. A lack of readily biodegradable COD limited denitrification and thus total nitrogen removal. The reactor solids were retained completely in the reactor by the membrane for the duration of testing.