title: A submerged tubular ceramic membrane bioreactor for high strength wastewater treatment.
abstract: A 4 L submerged tubular ceramic membrane bioreactor (MBR) was applied in laboratory scale to treat 2,400 mg-COD/L high strength wastewater. A prolonged sludge retention time (SRT) of 200 day, in contrast to the conventional SRT of 5 to 15 days, was explored in this study, aiming to reduce substantially the amount of disposed sludge. The MBR system was operated for a period of 142 days in four runs, differentiated by specific oxygen utilization rate (SOUR) and hydraulic retention time (HRT). It was found that the MBR system produced more than 99% of suspended solid reduction. Mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) was found to be adversely proportional to HRT, and in general higher than the value from a conventional wastewater treatment plant. A chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency was achieved as high as 98% in Run 1, when SOUR was in the range of 100-200 mg-O/g-MLVSS/hr. Unexpectedly, the COD removal efficiency in Run 2 to 4 was higher than 92%, on average, where higher HRT and abnormally low SOUR of 20-30 mg-O/g-MLVSS/hr prevailed. It was noted that the ceramic membrane presented a significant soluble nutrient rejection when the microbial metabolism of biological treatment broke down.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Engineering Research Center, School of Civil and Structural Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tay
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D002516:Ceramics; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014872:Water Movements
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D002244:Carbon; D010100:Oxygen