title: Effect of upflow velocity on the effluent membrane fouling potential in membrane coupled upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors.
abstract: This study investigated the effect of upflow velocity (Vup) on biological removal efficiency and effluent filterability in a laboratory scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. Upflow velocities of 1.2, 0.6 and 1.2m/h were applied in three successive stages over a total operation period of 116 days. Filterability tests were carried out during each stage in order to assess the effect of Vup on subsequent membrane performance. Results indicated a significant impact of Vup on both biological performance and physicochemical effluent characteristics. The observed differences in protein/carbohydrate ratio and particle size distribution (PSD), which play important roles in membrane fouling, lead to the hypothesis that Vup is a critical parameter for effluent filterability in membrane coupled UASB reactors. Results showed that filterability of the effluent during the operation at 0.6m/h was better than that during the operation at 1.2m/h.
authors.affiliation: Department of Watermanagement, Section Sanitary Engineering, Delft University of Technology, PO Box 5048, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands; Istanbul Technical University, Civil Engineering Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department, Ayazaga Campus, Maslak, 34469 Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: H.Ozgun@tudelft.nl.
authors.forename: Hale
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozgun
authors.affiliation: Department of Watermanagement, Section Sanitary Engineering, Delft University of Technology, PO Box 5048, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands; Istanbul Technical University, Civil Engineering Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department, Ayazaga Campus, Maslak, 34469 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa Evren
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ersahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Watermanagement, Section Sanitary Engineering, Delft University of Technology, PO Box 5048, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Department of Watermanagement, Section Sanitary Engineering, Delft University of Technology, PO Box 5048, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Spanjers
authors.affiliation: Department of Watermanagement, Section Sanitary Engineering, Delft University of Technology, PO Box 5048, 2600 GA, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jules B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: van Lier
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Anaerobic membrane bioreactor; Filterability; Municipal wastewater; Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor; Upflow velocity