Bioreactors for Wastewater Treatment

Technische Universitdt Darmstadt, Department of Civil Engineering, Institute WAR, Darmstadt, Germany 

In the MBR process, the membrane separates the MLSS into a particle-free permeate phase (filtrate, effluent) and a concentrate phase (biomass, return sludge MLSS) which remains in the bioreactor (Fig. 9.1). 

Advanced Membrane Technology and Applications. W. S. Winston Ho, and T. Matsuura Copyright 2008 John Wiley Sons, Inc. 

For the use of membrane technology in biological wastewater treatment applications, several aspects have to be considered  

The term membrane configuration is not well defined. It describes the geometry of the membranes, for example, planar, tubular, and hollow fiber, but also how the membranes 

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Andrews, G.F. and Trapasso, R., A novel adsorbing bioreactor for wastewater treatment, Environ. Prog., 3, 57-63, 1984. 

Stephenson, T. Judd, S. Jeferson, B. Brindle, K. Membrane Bioreactors for Wastewater Treatment IWA Publishing London, 2000. 

Visvanathan C, Ben AR, and Parameshwaran K. Membrane separation bioreactors for wastewater treatment. Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2000 30(1) 1 8. 

The chapter focuses on membrane bioreactors where a UF or MF membrane is employed for biomass retention and filtration. However, membrane bioreactors where the membrane provides a support for biofilms are an alternative form of membrane bioreactor for wastewater treatment application. Two processes, in particular, the membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) and the extractive membrane bioreactor (EMB), have seen significant interest in recent years. Figure 36.4 shows these two technologies schematically. The application of biofilms reactors for wastewater treatment systems is advantageous in view of... 

Stephenson T, Judd S, Jefferson B, and Brindle K, Eds. Membrane Bioreactors for Wastewater Treatment. IWA Ibibbshing, London, United Kingdom, 2000. 

Fig. 7 (A) Overview of the module (B) close-up of the module and (C) close-up of the hollow fiber membrane used in a membrane bioreactor for wastewater treatment. (Courtesy of CH2M Hill.)...

C. Visvanathan, R. Ben Aim, and K. Parameshwaran, Membrane Separation Bioreactors for Wastewater Treatment, Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 30(1), 1-48 (2000). 

S. Churcose, Proc. Int. Meeting on Membrane Bioreactors for Wastewater Treatment, Cranfield University, 5-6 March, 1997. 

T. Stephenson, S. Judd, B. Jefferson, and K. Brindle, Membrane bioreactors for wastewater treatment, IWA Publishing, London, 2000. 

Van Kempen, R., Draaijer, H., Postma, H., A membrane bioreactor for industrial effluents Compact, versatile and proven. Proceedings of the First International Meeting on Membrane Bioreactors for Wastewater Treatment, Cranfield, U.K., 1997. 

L. Van Dijk, G.C.G. Roncken, Membrane bioreactors for wastewater treatment The state of the art and new developments, Water Science and Technology 1997, 35, 35-41. 

Jeison, D. (2007). Anaerobic membrane bioreactors for wastewater treatment Feasibility and potential applications. PhD Thesis. Wageningen, The Netherlands Wageningen University. 

Pankhania, M., Stephenson, T. and Semmens, M. 1994. Hollow fiber bioreactor for wastewater treatment using bubbleless membrane aeration. Water Research, 28,2233-2236. 

Membrane bioreactors for wastewater treatment are another example of that, whereby capability, performance and water quality can be adopted as parameters together with the economic ones. 

Diuta I, Larachi F. Biological and physical plugging in trickle bed bioreactors for wastewater treatment. Chem. Eng. Sci. 2005 60 1477. 

Aurora Seco Torrecillas (nutrient removal and recovery from wastewater anaerobic membrane bioreactor for wastewater treatment (WWT) microalgae cultivation for WWT), Chemical Engineering Department, University of Valencia (UV), Valencia... 

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