The importance of fluid dynamics for MBR fouling mitigation

Böhm, Lutz; Drews, Anja; Prieske, H.; Bérubé, Pierre R.; Kraume, Matthias

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2012.05.069

Cited by 95 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…3). Aeration can induce hydraulic turbulence adjacent to the membrane surface and thus limit the formation of cake layer, which is directly related to the severity of external concentration polarization [12,25]. Without aeration, the water flux decreased rapidly from 8.0 L/m 2 h at the beginning to approximately 2.0 L/m 2 h at the conclusion of the experiment (Fig.…”

Section: Role Of Aerationmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Water extraction from mixed liquor of an aerobic bioreactor by forward osmosis: Membrane fouling and biomass characteristics assessment

Luo

Hai

Price

et al. 2015

Separation and Purification Technology

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This study investigated membrane fouling and biomass characteristics during water extraction from mixed liquor of an aerobic bioreactor by a submerged forward osmosis (FO) system. As the sludge concentration in the reactor increased from 0 to 20 g/L, fouling of the FO membrane increased but was much less severe than that of a reference microfiltration membrane. The results also indicate that aeration can be used to effectively control membrane fouling. By increasing the draw solute concentration, as expected, the initial water flux was increased. However, there appears to be a critical water flux above which severe membrane fouling was encountered. A short-term osmotic membrane bioreactor experiment showed build-up of salinity in the bioreactor due to the reverse draw solute transport and inorganic salts rejection by the FO membrane. Salinity build-up in the bioreactor reduced the permeate flux and sludge production, and at the same time, altered the biomass characteristics, leading to more soluble microbial products and less extracellular polymeric substances in the microbial mass. Additionally, the inhibitory effects of the increased salinity on biomass and the high rejection capacity of FO led to the build-up of ammonia and ortho-phosphate in the bioreactor. Disciplines Engineering | Science and Technology Studies AbstractThis study investigated membrane fouling and biomass characteristics during water extraction from mixed liquor of an aerobic bioreactor by a submerged forward osmosis (FO) system. As the sludge concentration in the reactor increased from 0 to 20 g/L, fouling of the FO membrane increased but was much less severe than that of the microfiltration membrane. The results also indicate that aeration can be used to effectively control membrane fouling. By increasing the draw solute concentration, as expected, the initial water flux was increased. However, there appears to be a critical water flux above which the higher initial water flux was associated with considerably more severe membrane fouling. A short-term osmotic membrane bioreactor experiment showed the build-up of salinity in the bioreactor due to the reverse draw solute transport and inorganic salts rejection by the FO membrane. Salinity build-up in the bioreactor reduced the permeate flux and sludge production, and at the same time, altered the biomass characteristics, leading to more soluble microbial products and less extracellular polymeric substances in the microbial mass. Additionally, the inhibitory effects of the increased salinity on biomass and the high rejection capacity of FO also led to the build-up of ammonia and ortho-phosphate in the bioreactor.

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Section: Role Of Aerationmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…In full-scale MBR plants, the aeration directed at membrane cleaning is applied intermittently as an attempt to reducing energy consumption [1,25]. Thus, in current study, the efficiency of intermittent aeration in fouling mitigation of the submerged FO membrane was assessed.…”

Section: Role Of Aerationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water extraction from mixed liquor of an aerobic bioreactor by forward osmosis: Membrane fouling and biomass characteristics assessment

Luo

Hai

Price

et al. 2015

Separation and Purification Technology

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“…Similarly, mechanical air scouring methods have been used extensively for mitigation of membrane fouling in aerobic MBRs [59,60]. To compliment these methods, biological-based approaches can be used to further prolong membrane life in AeMBRs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of biofoulants illustrates different membrane fouling mechanisms for aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors

Xiong

Harb

Hong

2016

Separation and Purification Technology

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Please cite this article as: Y. Xiong, M. Harb, P-Y. Hong, Characterization of biofoulants illustrates different membrane fouling mechanisms for aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors, Separation and Purification Technology (2015), doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur. 2015.11.024 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. AbstractThis study compares the membrane fouling mechanisms of aerobic (AeMBR) and anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR) of the same reactor configuration at similar operating conditions. Although both the AeMBR and AnMBR achieved more than 90% COD removal efficiency, the fouling mechanisms were different. Molecular weight (MW) fingerprint profiles showed that a majority of fragments in anaerobic soluble microbial products (SMP) were retained by the membrane and some AnMBR systems and can be applied to facilitate the development of appropriate fouling control strategies.

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“…The filtration was disabled in the membrane module since our aim was to investigate only the influence of the membrane acting as additional resistance on the hydrodynamics in the reactor. Also, it was considered that the permeate flux would not affect the hydrodynamics (Böhm et al, 2012).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If the liquid level is below the critical level, the downcomer drags in gas slugs. This situation is preferable in the ELAMR, because of a bigger shear stress in the multiphase flow and minimization of membrane fouling (Bérubé and Lei, 2006;Böhm et al, 2012;Ratkovich et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrodynamics of an external-loop airlift reactor with inserted membrane

Kojić

Popović

Tokic

et al. 2017

Braz. J. Chem. Eng.

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-The objective of this study was to investigate the hydrodynamics of an external-loop airlift membrane reactor (ELAMR). The ELAMR was operated in two modes: without (mode A) and with bubbles in the downcomer (mode B), depending on the liquid level in the gas separator. The influence of the gas distributor's geometry and various alcohol solutions on the hydrodynamics of the ELAMR was studied. Results for the gas holdup and the downcomer liquid velocity are commented with respect to an external-loop airlift reactor of the same geometry but without the membrane in the downcomer (ELAR). Due to the presence of the membrane in the downcomer, acting as the local hydrodynamic resistance, the gas holdup in the riser of the ELAMR increases maximally by 16%, while the liquid velocity in the downcomer decreases up to 50%. The values of the gas holdup and liquid velocity predicted by the application of empirical power law correlations and a feed forward back propagation neural network (ANN) are in very good agreement with experimental values.

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The importance of fluid dynamics for MBR fouling mitigation

Cited by 95 publications

References 71 publications

Water extraction from mixed liquor of an aerobic bioreactor by forward osmosis: Membrane fouling and biomass characteristics assessment

Water extraction from mixed liquor of an aerobic bioreactor by forward osmosis: Membrane fouling and biomass characteristics assessment

Characterization of biofoulants illustrates different membrane fouling mechanisms for aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors

Hydrodynamics of an external-loop airlift reactor with inserted membrane

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