PHL: $0043-1354(98)00518-1 PERGAMON swwwelbevie com/loatewatnes Wear Res Vol. 33, No. 12 pp, 28882982, 1898 10 190 Tee Scone Lid All rights ered Pred ie Grest Bra oes1as4 08 = seo font ater TECHNICAL NOTE DOMESTIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT BY A SUBMERGED MEMBRANE BIOREACTOR WITH GRAVITATIONAL FILTRATION TATSUKI UBDA*® and KENIT HATA® National Research Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-860, Japan (Firs recelved June 1998: accepted i revised form December 1998) Abstract—This study examined practical performance ofa submerged membrane bioreactor with gravi- tasional tration, using plotscate plant (volume of the bioreactor: 3 12m) and raw domestic waste ‘water. Treated water was fltered through flat mierofltration membrane modules (polyethylene; pore Sze 0.4 ja) by the pressure head of bulk solution, A combined aerobiclanaerobic(single-sudge) sytem ‘Was used to enhance nitrogen removal. Operation was continued for 497 days. From the 267th to the 5S2ith day’ of operation, seasonal inflow fuctustion was simulated by increasing inflow by 1.5. (0 3 Fold. The obtained resuts were summarized inthe following four points. (1) Membrane filtration was able to be continued for the fist 371days without membrane washing and was sil sable after the ‘washing 2) Average removal ratios of BOD, TOC, $8, total nitzoge, tual phosphorous and coliform bacteria were 99, 98, 100, 9, 74% and 6log units, respectively. (3) Experiments on simulated ilow Fluctuation showed thatthe system could cope with a short-term fluctuation of inflow (up te threefold) without deteriorating Mtrasion performances significantly. (4) Average power consumption by the ex perimental plant was 24kWh per Inn! of tated water. ( 1999 Tlever Science Ltd, All nights reserved Key words—activatedshudg, gravitational Flation, sitrogen removal A. submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR), in which membranes arc directly submerged into a bioreactor, bas been one of the major improvements ‘of MBRs because of its lower power costs (ea. Ueda et al, 1996). Two types of submerged MBRs hnave been developed so far in terms of membrane separation principles (Fig. 1): a suctioned-fteation type and a gravitationalfiltation type (Izumi et al, 1995). In the former type, permeate js suetioned by suction pump from the effivent side. In the latter type, permeate is pushed from the bulk-solution side by 2 pressure-head of mixed liquor over mem- brane modules. The latter type, therefore, does not necessitate @ suction pump for membrane separ~ ation thereby simplifying the structure. In this study, the authors try out a gravitational-ltration MBR for experiment because they would save energy costs, MBRs have been said to require a large flow equalization tank because MBRs cannot handle the extra amounts of inflow. This is because an exact, and stable flux should be maintained in MBRs for “Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed tration, membrane bioreactor, membrane filtration, micro: preventing substantial membrane fouling, Seasonal inflow fluctuation, however, is quite common for actual wastewater treatment facilites, mainly due to surface and ground water intrusions into sewers during rainy seasons (Tchobanoglous and Burton, 1991). In order to clarify whether MBRs can cope with such fluctuation, therefore, seasonal inflow uctuation is simulated by increasing inflow by 1.5: to Mfold for 58 days. Process stability is investi- gated during the simulated inflow uctuation, Apparatus ‘The experimental apparatus (Fig. 2) was built in accord ance with the experiments by Izumi eta. (1995). The sys tem had two activated-shudge tanks, ie. en aerobic tank find an anaerobic nk Each tank had a working volume Of LS6a" (-e the total tenk volume is 312°) when a pressureshead was 0.307, Activated sludge was circulated between the two ianks by a circulation pump at 2 rate four times as the inflow rate, This intended the enhance ‘ment of nitrogen removal by biological ntrication and Aenistcaion made of polyetsyiene and had a pore size of 4 um (Kubota Co,, Japan). Twenty-ive membrane modules (2 aase“Technical Note Suction pump | Event , |__Soeg Bioreactor (@) Suctione-itration MBR Pressure-nead Euent ein g Bioreactor () Gravitaionalfitration MBR Fig. 1. Suetioned-fvation and _gravitational-tration ‘membrane bioreactors (modified ater Izumi etal, 1995) ‘ltstion area: 08m? per module) were submerged into the aerobic unk, making @ total filtration area 20 “Transmembrane pressure, Ap, was applied from the Dlkesoluton side by the presure-nead of the mixed Tiquot over the membrane modules (Fig. 2). The water level of the aerobic tank. therefore, might nse as the Ap increased, The available Ap in this systom was accordingly confined to ess than ca. 17 KP, which was equivalent {0 & pressureshead of 169m and eoresponded to a maximum ‘water level allowed by the aerobic tank. “Aeration was aways kept in the aerobic tank while mix- {ng was continued in the anaerobic tank. Airflow cate was fixed al 0.3m! mia, Air differs were placed under the sembrane modules so that an uplifting two-phase low of Constant ow Pump ‘Studge culation 2s89 bubbling sir and mixed liquor could remove a cake layer deposited on membrane. ‘The system was supplied with raw domestic wastewater fiom nearby municipal "sewage treatment - works, Composition of the raw wastewater is shown in Table 1 The raw wastowater Was fod to the anaerobic Tank with & constant flow pump after screenisg with a I-mm bar Sereen, The constant flow pump kept & constant inlow fe 40 thatthe system could be operated at constant ux. Operating conditions and dav collection Operating conditions are shown in Table 2. An opet= aon of the MBR was continued for 497 days, Membrane fication was basieally conducted 16% @ day by cepeating the following cyeie twice © day: Sh ftretion followed by ‘rest. Flux was basically maintained around 0.4 m d~ The following cases, however, made an exception to the shove conditions: scasonal inflow fuctastion was sii lated by augmenting inflow rates. From the 267th co the 824th day of operation, filvation hours were increased from 16 to 24h a day, thereby augmenting a daily Now e by 1.5 times, In addition fo that, from the 288th to the 209th day of operation, the flux was increased from 04 fo 048 md", thereby doubling a dally flow rate ‘Membrane washing was done on the 3Tist day of oper= ation. The washing Was done consecutively with sponge Sodium hypochlorite (a feee chlorine concentration: ape roximately 0.6%) and oxalic acid (10%). The sponge ‘ashing, was done by hand after taking. membrane mod= tiles out of the aerobic tak, ‘The chemical washings were Alone by injecting chemicals into membrane modules from, the permeate side TExoass sludge was wasted once @ woek so that a MLSS ‘concentration might be maintained ground. 12,000 mg L~™ inthe arobie tank. ‘The observed Mux at FC) was adjusted to the data at 25 (1) by the following equation Jos © where Js fx (md) at ¢ °C) and Me viscosity of pure water (mPa s) at 1 CO). “Transmembrane pressure (or Ap for short) was ealeu- lated by the following equation a8 an approximation to a pressuresead of mixed bguor over the membrane modules Ap = (I=) « 9.80665, ® Where Ap is transmembrane pressure (KPa), #7 a surface evel of mixed liquor (m), fo a level of an outlet for the ‘ellusat tm) and 9.80665 2 conversion factor (Im of pres lurehead of water 9.80665 KPa}. The Invert q Q Anaerobic tank ‘Aerobic tank Fig, 2. Schematic diagram of the pilt-sale membrane bioreactor.2490 Technical Note able 1, Pros yesformanc ofthe momlwane bortor Parameters Une Raw water Treated water Removal s wets e # os om 100 Ty mele o * x » He ae » a3 ” Coliform bacteria MPN 00"? 69310" « S099 ference of densitiss between mixed liquor and pure ‘water was nepected inthis ealeulation, Tiltation fenstance of membrane is defined by the fale lowing equation: AP 568 x 10 toe where 2 is ftration resistance (Im!) and ¢ the tempera ture CC) at which the flax 8 observed “Methods for chemical analyses of raw and treated water complied with Japanese industrial standards K-0102 Gapanese ‘Standards Association, 1995). MLSS and 'VSS were measured in accordance with experimental hod for sewage (ipanese Sewage Works Assocation, 1984). Coliform bacteria were counted in accordance with the most-probable-sumber (MPN) “method by the Favironmental Agency of Japan, which employed the fol lowing media: peptone, 10g, lctose, 10, beef extract 20, briliantegreen solution (0.1 w)9%), 133 mL, disiled wate, 1 hte, R ° RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Filtration performance Variation of transmembrane pressure (Ap), flux and filtration resistance is shown in Fig. 3, On the 37th day of operation, aeration failed for # short time while filtration was continued. As a result, increasing Ap and filtration resistance. After resol ving the failure, Ap and filtration resistance restored the previous conditions. From the Sst to the 267th day, the inerease of Ap and filtration resistance was moderate Afier increasing filtration hours from 16 to 24h fon the 267th day, slight increases in Ap and fi tration resistance were observed. During the two fold increase of Mux from the 288th to the 309th day, Ap increased threefold to 15 kPa. After restor- ing the normal flux on the 309th day, Ap and fi tration resistance decreased partially and was stable afterwards. Variation of filtration resistance particu. Jarly shows that the flux increase accelerated the membrane fouling to some extent, as resistance did not restore its previous eondition on the 309th day. Despite the little acceleration of membrane foul ing occurred during the Sux increase, the system could be judged to be capable of coping with 2 short-term fluctuation of inflow (up to threefold) without deteriorating filtration performance signifi cantly. In addition, it should be noted that the sys- tem could adjust its transmembrane pressure ‘automatically to cope with the sugmented inflow he filtration cake layer accumulated tore rapidly, thereby rate, just by increasing its water level Favs) weber ae os ob Fates hours Te te # s ee eres aoss on oeet Fase arte aid mee nase we tao MLSS Ga ano l= im tie ts Bolwune as gt o 3 3 ‘Cloanino Mts day "Total of acrobic ad wonrobi ton SeeTechnical Note Aeration faluce t 16 2x91 ‘Membrane washing “4 2 10 AP (kPa) os 200 300400 Time (4) os oa 02 Flux(m a") Le) Lana oo aoeet2 Resistance (1 m) 9s ae 0eett ‘eon 0e0 ° 100 200 —_—$—$<$<$<$<—$ 200 300 Time (a) 400 300 Time (4) 400500 Fig. 3. Variation of transmembrane pressure, ux and slsaion resistance Membrane washing on the 37Ist day restored Ap and filtation resistance substantially and their increases were moderate thereafter. The results indi cated that the membrane could be used continu- ously for more than 1 year without replacement if ‘membrane washing was done at least once a year. Such coatinuous use of membrane might reduce costs for membrane. Treated water quality Treated water quality (Table 1) indicated that the removal of organic matter and suspended solids was quite successful. Coliform bacteria were detected in the treated water in a trace amount possibly due to the contamination of pipelines for the t coliform bacteria was achieved ted water. Nevertheless, a 6-log removal of The removal ratio of nitrogen was 79% on aver- fage and nitrogen content in treated water was mostly NO,-N, The results apparently indicated thatthe werobiclanaerobie system enhanced both of nitrifeation and denitrification, ‘combined Power consumption of the system ‘Average power consumption by the experimental plant, including every component shown in Fig. 1, was 2.4KWh per Im? of treated water. This value of the erossllow-type MBRs ) (Aya, 1994), was lower than th (about 3-4 kWh ‘The main results were summarized in the follow: ing two points, 1. Employing the principle of gravitational fi: tration, the membrane filtration was able to be continued for the first 371 days without mem brane washing. Filtration pressure was still stable after the membrane washing on the 37ist day 2, Experiments on simulated inflow fluctuation showed that the system could cope with a short term fluctuation of inflow (up to threefold) with-2092, out deteriorating filtration performance signii- cantly Acknowledgements This study was done at the Miho ex i, Japan, which is run by’ the Tspanese Association of Rural Sewerage, The authors ‘therefore would like to thank them for their collaboration and provision of experimental facilities for this study. We fare also rateful 10 the Miho Village Office for the prom ‘sion of raw sewage Aya H. (1998) Modular membranes for selfcontained ‘rouse systems, Water Qual. It 4 21-22. “Technical Nove nami K., Madokoro T, and Yamada Y. (1998) The prac: ‘ial use of membrane process for domestic waste water treatment. Shigen Kankyo Taisaku 34(11), 925930 (in Japanese). Japanese Sewage Works Assocation (1984) Experimental “Methods for Sewage. lapanese Sewage. Works Assocation, Tokyo (in Japanese), Japanese Standards Assocation (1995) JIS K 0102: testing ‘ethods for indusral wastewater, In JIS Handbook Environmental Technology 1995. Tapanese Standards ‘Association, Tokyo, pp. 1835-2297, Tehobenoglous G, and Burton F. L, (1981) Domestic wastewater sources and flowratss. In Wastewater Engineering: Treatment, Disposal and Rewse, 3rd eh MeGraw-Hil Ine, New York, pp. 26-35 Ueda TT, Hata K. and Kikuoka ¥_ (1996) Treatment of domestic sewage from rural settlements by a membrane bioreactor Water St. Technol. 349), 189-196,