MBR Course

Fundamental of MBR Processes &

Introduction to Process Design Tools
October 16 & 17, 2012

Hamid Rabie
Function of a WWTP

Removal of particulate materials

• sand
• hairs, fibrous materials
• other solids

Biodegradation of undesired components

• carbon CO2 + biomass
• nitrogen N2 + biomass
• sulphur biomass
• phosphorus biomass

Solid liquid separation

Waste
water • biomass rejection
• Microbial rejection
• standard sedimentation: 10,000 CFU/ml
Effluent
WWTP (colony forming unit: cfu)

Surplus sludge (biomass)

Fundamentals of Bio-Reactor Processes
Wastewater Effluent

Solid - Liquid
Separation

• Settling
• Filter media
• Membrane

Biological Process

Engineered systems to: Sludge

Accumulate microorganisms for oxidation of electron donor pollutants.
Convert soluble pollutants to large particles (biomass) for separation.
Fundamentals of Bio-Reactor Processes
Pollutant Measurement Biological Reaction Process Name Condition
Carbonaceous BOD, COD Organic → O2
CO2 + cells BOD Removal Aerobic
Ammonia N - NH3 NH →3
O2
NO − + cells
3
Nitrification Aerobic
Nitrate TN NO3− 
→ N 2 + cells Denitrification Anoxic
Phosphorous TP P
→ cells Bio-P Removal Anaerobic

BOD / Nit Aerobic

BOD / Nit / Denit Anoxic Aerobic

BOD / Nit / Denit

Anaerobic Anoxic Aerobic
Bio-P
First Use of Membranes in Biological WWT

Effluent treatment with membrane technology – tertiary treatment

S GF PC BS ST DC MT
Permeate

Raw Effluent
wastewater

S = Step screen ST = Sedimentation tank

GF = Grid and fat removal DC = Third cleaning step (e.g. filtration)
PC = Primary clarifier MT = Membrane technology
BS = Biological step
Membranes at the End of WWT Process

Tertiary treatment

Always end of the processes additional costs to conventional technology;

additional footprint required

Low solid concentration no hair and fibrous material allowed

tolerance in membrane stage requires easy sludge management

Mostly dead end filtration mode Pressurized membrane systems or

Submerged membrane systems

Sensitive against fouling fouling components come in direct contact

components with membrane surfaces;
often additional flocculation required;
operation difficult to optimize

Interesting for existing WWTP that need disinfection or reuse

Almost similar to surface water treatment (need for coagulant)

Changes in the MBR System

Membrane bioreactor (MBR)

S GF FS PC BS MT ST TC
Combination of
BS
biological step
and solid liquid
separation
Raw Permeate Effluent
wastewater

S = Step screen MT = Membrane technology

GF = Grid and fat removal
FS = Fine screen
BS = Biological step
MBR vs. Conventional Activated Sludge

Conventional Activated Sludge System

Anoxic Aerobic Settling

Zone Zone Tank
Incoming Pre-
Wastewater Treatment Effluent

In case of Tertiary
More processes;
RAS
e.g. sand filter

Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)

Anoxic Aerobic
Zone Zone
Incoming Pre-
Wastewater Treatment
Effluent
MF/UF

RAS
MBR Reduces the Footprint

Eliminate all clarifiers

Replace with
membrane systems

Membranes
Major Differentiations of MBR Technology

Stable Activated Absolute

Biological Membrane
Treatment Sludge MBR Filtration
Solids
Separation
Process Process

• Replaces conventional clarification; requires less footprint

• Combines physical barrier of a membrane with biological treatment
• Produces high quality effluent at all times
• Comparable to tertiary treatment; then LCC is ≤ conventional technologies

membrane key component to this market

Advantages of MBR over Conventional
Better effluent quality Increased Efficiency
> 95%, 98% and 99.9% for COD, All bacteria retained, cold weather
BOD, SS removal nitrification

Effluent TSS independent of Insoluble P retained reducing

bioreactor efficiency chemical addition for P removal

High MW organics are retained and High MLSS (1-2%), greater organic
bio-degraded loads and less sludge production

Improved biological reactions (due Compact systems, less footprint

to longer SRT, shear, etc.)
Sludge digestion within bioreactor
Process Control
Complete separation between HRT Modular expansion
and SRT
Absorbs variation and fluctuations in
Accurate control over sludge age, incoming flow and organic loads
development of slow-growing
microorganisms (nitrifiers)
Market Areas for MBR Technology
Space limitation
reuse; high quality
High & variable High COD
salt content municipal
pulp & wastewater textile content
paper industry
tank pharmacy
cleaning industry

beverage industrial
industry laundries
Membrane
Bioreactors
dairy petrochem
industry industry

High &
variable salt vegetable leachate
industry
content fruit
Slaughter chemical
industry industry
-house / High ammonia
rendering content
High COD
content
Drivers of MBR Market & Technology
Increasing regulatory standards
especially regarding disinfectant by-
products and waterborne pathogens

Limited supply Growth in Technological innovation

tap into alternative supplies development of low cost,
such as water re-use Membrane high quality water treatment
Technology solutions

Growing demand
due to population growth, new
infrastructure in developed
countries, and aging infrastructure
in industrialized countries
Main Configurations for MBR Technology

Tubular modules Hollow fiber modules Plate modules

Inside/Out Filtration Outside/In Filtration Outside/In Filtration
(Pressurized Vessel) Immersed (Vacuum) Immersed (Vacuum)

• X-Flow / Pentair • GE-Zenon • Kubota

• Berghof • Mitsubishi • Toray
• Koch Membrane • Siemens-Memcor • Huber
• Koch Membrane-Puron • A3 Gmbh
• Micronet PF
MBR with Tubular Modules -
Cross Flow Membrane Filtration

External cross flow MBR Pressure

Pump

DN MF
N

RC
RL

modules cross flow operation

Feed side RC recirculation

Pressure

RL return line
Permeate side MF membrane filter
N Nitrification
DN De-nitrification
Module Length
Cross Flow Membrane Filtration for MBR –
Tubular Membrane (Inside/Out Filtration)

Feed Concentrated
Waste

Membrane

Support Material Permeate

(Clean Water)
Cross Flow Membrane Filtration for MBR –
Tubular Membrane
• Original “work-horse” in MBR applications; used horizontal configuration
• Large diameter membrane tube and high recirculation flow rate and high
TMP served to eliminate potential for plugging with biomass
• Membrane designed to operate at MLVSS levels > 50,000 mg/l
• Energy intensive on large flow rates (> 300,000 gpd)
• Low packing density (requires large footprint for large flow rates)
• New tubular systems from X-Flow uses air plugs in vertical tubes
operating at lower pressures
Tubular MBR Configurations
X-Flow Airlift

• MLSS: 12-50 g/L • MLSS: 8.0-12 g/L

• Flux: 50-150 lmh • Flux: 30-50 lmh
• High energy consumption: • Lower energy consumption:
(1.5-4.0 kWh/m3) (0.3-1.0 kWh/m3)
• Continuous • Discontinuous
• TMP: 1.0-5.0 bar • TMP: 0.2-0.6 bar
• More valves & complexity
MBR with Submerged (Immersed) membranes

submerged
membranes
Vacuum Pump

Waste water
Permeate

Biological sludge

Air
Basic of Immersed MBR Train
1.Biological reactor
2.Membranes
3.Permeate pump & blower
4. Control panel
5 5. Permeate & air piping
1

4
3
Immersed Membrane Filtration (hollow fiber)
Permeate to Top Header
(Puron has no top header)
Membrane
Support Material
(e.g. Zenon, MPF, Puron)

Aeration
Bubbles (for
fluid agitation)

Outside/In Filtration

Suction
Bulk Fluid
(Concentrate)

Coarse Bubble Coarse Bubble

Diffuser Diffuser
Permeate to Bottom Header
(Siemens has no bottom header)
Immersed Hollow Fibers in Operation
Module Installation Submerged module in operation
with crane air injection phase
Immersed Membrane Filtration (flat sheet)
To suction
Suction

Panel

Air bubbles between

membrane panels
Air diffusers
MBR with submerged modules -
different tank configurations
Internal submerged MBR
RC recirculation
RL return line
MF membrane filter
DN N MF N Nitrification
DN dnitrification

RC

External submerged MBR (Preferred)

DN N MF

RC
RL
Key Aspects of MBR Products

For superior technological and economical performance, should consider:

Membrane structure and characteristics

Module design and features
Aeration system & sludge management

Membrane tank hydraulics

Membrane filtration process and system design
Classification of membrane processes

Saline solutions
Pressure difference in [bar]

Viruses
Bacteria
100
RO
Nano-
10 filtration

Ultrafiltration
1
Microfiltration
Sand
filtration
0,1
0,0001 0,001 0,01 0,1 1,0 10,0 100
Particle size in [µm]
Membrane pore size range from
different suppliers for MBR
Comparison of microorganisms vs
membrane pore size

E. Coli ~ 0,5 - 1,5 µm

B. Subtilis
~ 0,3 µm
MS2-Virus (Coliphage)
~ 0,025 µm

poresize ~ 0,01 µm poresize ~ 0,2 µm

ultrafiltration microfiltration
MBR provides better effluent quality

convent.
Parameter MBR
plant

Solids mg/l 0 10 –15

COD mg/l < 30 40 – 50

Ptotal with
mg/l < 0,3 0,8 – 1,0
precipitation

MLSS content in
g/l < 20 <5
aeration tank
Key Requirements for Membrane Properties

Material requirements
hydrophilicity - good wetability with water
low fouling tendency
chemical and thermal stability
mechanical stability

Morphological requirements

narrow pore distribution

minimized number of defects
high porosity
low hydraulic resistance
high bonding of membrane to support material

Economic requirements
cost-effective materials
cost-effective production
 Different Types of Membranes & Structures
(SEM of Membrane Surfaces)

Toray Zenon Kubota Mitsubishi

2 µm 2 µm
2 µm
3 µm

• Avg. Pore: 0.1 µm • Avg. Pore: 0.03 µm • Avg. Pore: 0.4 µm • Avg. Pore: 0.2 µm
• PVDF high MW • PVDF low MW • Chlorinated PE • PVDF low MW
• Asymmetric • Asymmetric • Symmetric • Asymmetric
• Coated on fabric • Coated on a support • Coated on fabric • Double coating
• Coated on support
10 µm

Asymmetric Structure

Membrane Skin/Surface
Introduction to Design
Tools
Key Elements of MBR Process Design

• Full step by step biological reaction analysis and mass balances such as:
• Carbon, Phosphorous, Nitrogen, etc
• Sludge production
• Aeration and nutrient requirements

• Step by step process mass balances and all necessary sizing such as:
• Pumping and coarse screen
• Sand and fat removal
• Fine screen
• Equalization
• All dosing systems
• Different biological steps
• Sludge treatment
• Membrane systems: filtration tank, configuration, RAS, sludge g=feed,
aeration capacity, blower sizes, pump sizes, chemical dosing, etc
System Configuration
Step by Step Process Calculations
Step by Step Process Calculations
Process Trends for Different Key Parameters