Development and performance of a dynamic membrane for anaerobic wastewater treatment - an analysis with different mesh pore sizes and configurations

• Published in: Water science and technology 2022-03, Vol.85 (5), p.1400-1411
• Main Authors: Fonseca, Paula Rafaela Silva, Mora, Erick Javier Centeno, Batista, Isabela Ferreira, Chernicharo, Carlos Augusto de Lemos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Anaerobic treatment; Anaerobiosis; Biogas; Bioreactors; Chemical oxygen demand; Configuration management; Disk filters; domestic wastewater; dynamic layer; Effluents; Energy consumption; filtration; Maintenance costs; Membrane reactors; Membranes; Microorganisms; Modules; Organic matter; Oxygen requirement; polyester mesh; post-treatment; Reactors; Removal; Sewage; Sewage treatment; Sewage treatment plants; Sludge; Solid suspensions; Stone; Suspended particulate matter; Temperature; Total suspended solids; Turbidity; uasb reactor; Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Wastewater treatment; Water Purification; Water treatment
• ISSN: 0273-1223; 1996-9732
• DOI: 10.2166/wst.2022.042

Recent studies have focused on proposing materials with larger pores and lower cost to replace conventional membranes. This study aims to investigate the performance of an anaerobic dynamic membrane bioreactor (AnDMBR) at pilot scale, acting as a post-treatment for an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor treating sewage, for the removal of complementary organic matter, focusing on the module design, dynamic layer formation and process performance. The configurations tested on this study were: UASB followed by stone filter and three AnDMBRs in series with polyester pore sizes of 100 μm, 50 μm, and 5 μm; UASB followed by disc filter and the three AnDMBRs in series; UASB followed by the three AnDMBRs in series; and UASB reactor with only one AnDMBR module. Regarding the studied configurations, high removals of total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, and turbidity were achieved in all experimental setups. The use of stone and disc filters did not bring clear benefits to the system concerning the direct application of filtration with dynamic membranes, therefore, their removal in the system was favorable. The dynamic membrane formation was faster in the 50 μm mesh, and only a few hours were necessary to obtain a permeate quality with a total suspended solids concentration and a turbidity lower than 15 mg·L and 30 NTU, respectively. Thus, the dynamic membrane technology proved to be a potential solution in the post-treatment of UASB reactor effluents.