Prediction and Identification of Membrane Fouling Mechanism in a Membrane Bioreactor Using a Combined Mechanistic Model

Membrane fouling phenomenon in the membrane bioreactor (MBR) process is too complex and cannot be described by a single mechanistic fouling model. To describe the complex and combined phenomena of different fouling mechanisms in the MBR process, a combined fouling model developed by considering seve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Industrial & engineering chemistry research 2013-12, Vol.52 (48), p.17198-17205
Main Authors: Kim, Minjeong, Sankararao, B, Lee, Seungchul, Yoo, ChangKyoo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bioreactors
Blocking
Filtration
Fouling
Mathematical models
Membranes
Multiple regression analysis
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Summary:Membrane fouling phenomenon in the membrane bioreactor (MBR) process is too complex and cannot be described by a single mechanistic fouling model. To describe the complex and combined phenomena of different fouling mechanisms in the MBR process, a combined fouling model developed by considering several mechanistic fouling models is necessary. Therefore, in this paper, a combined mechanistic fouling model is proposed by combining four constant-flow rate blocking mechanisms. The values of root-mean-square errors are used to compare the prediction accuracies of the combined and single mechanistic fouling models for two data sets taken from a pilot-scale MBR plant. The combined mechanistic model shows better prediction capability, because it reflects the combined effect of several fouling mechanisms. In addition, to identify the most dominant fouling mechanism, multiple regression analysis is applied on the combined mechanistic model. It confirms that, as the MBR operation progressed, the membrane fouling is extensively progressed from the intermediate blocking to cake filtration.
ISSN:0888-5885
1520-5045
DOI:10.1021/ie402056r