The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

The effect of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) on biofouling in a hybrid membrane bioreactor for the treatment of high concentration organic wastewater

På svenska

Author

Summary, in English

Biofouling is a crucial factor in membrane bioreactor (MBR) applications, particularly for high organic loading operations. This paper reports a study on biofouling in an MBR to establish a relationship between critical flux, J(c), mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) (ranging from 5 to 20 g L-1) and volumetric loading rate (6.3 kg COD m(-3) h(-1)) of palm oil mill effluent (POME). A lab-scale 100 L hybrid MBR consisting of anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic reactors was used with flat sheet microfiltration (MF) submerged in the aerobic compartment. The food-to-microorganism (F/M) ratio was maintained at 0.18 kg COD kg(-1) MLSSd(-1). The biofouling tendency of the membrane was obtained based on the flux against the transmembrane pressure (TMP) behaviour. The critical flux is sensitive to the MLSS. At the MLSS 20 g L-1 the critical flux is about four times lower than that for the MLSS concentration of 5 g L-1. The results showed high removal efficiency of denitrification and nitrification up to 97% at the MLSS concentration 20 g L-1. The results show that the operation has to compromise between a high and a low MLSS concentration. The former will favour a higher removal rate, while the latter will favour a higher critical flux.

Publishing year

2011

Language

English

Pages

1701-1706

Publication/Series

Water Science and Technology

Volume

63

Issue

8

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

IWA Publishing

Topic

  • Other Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering

Keywords

  • biofouling
  • flux
  • membrane bioreactor
  • MLSS
  • TMP

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0273-1223