Abstract
Performance of membrane reactor in combination with moving-bed-biofilm reactor (BF-MBR) for treatment of municipal wastewater was investigated in relation to different organic loading rates; high and low rates. The membrane was operated with a constant flux of 50 LMH and 96% recovery. The fouling rate was evaluated as development of the trans-membrane pressure (TMP) during the operational time. Suspended solids (SS) concentrations, organic matter (COD/FCOD), particle size distributions (PSD), capillary suction time (CST) and time to filter (TTF) were measured daily and further related to TMP in order to determine major fouling factors. A higher fouling potential was observed for high-rate operating conditions. A fraction of organic matter below 1.2 μm was mostly related to changes in TMP. Furthermore, a higher amount of particulate fraction below 0.1 μm in membrane reactors during high-rate operating conditions presented a dominant contribution to membrane fouling and colloidal fouling.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 708-714 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Water SA |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 5 SPEC. ISS. |
| State | Published - 2006 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Biofilm membrane reactor
- Colloidal fouling
- Fractional COD distribution
- Particle size distribution
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
- Water Science and Technology
- Waste Management and Disposal
- Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law