Abstract
Mathematical modelling was used to investigate the possibility to use membrane aerated biofilm reactors (MABRs) in a largely anoxic suspended growth bioreactor to produce the nitrate-nitrogen required for heterotrophic denitrification and the growth of denitrifying phosphorus accumulating organisms (DPAOs). The results indicate that such a process can be used to achieve a variety of process objectives. The capture of influent biodegradable organic matter while also achieving significant total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) removal can be achieved with or without use of primary treatment by operation at a relatively short suspended growth solids residence time (SRT). Low effluent TIN concentrations can also be achieved, irrespective of the influent wastewater chemical oxygen demand (COD)/total nitrogen (TN) ratio, with somewhat larger suspended growth SRT. Biological phosphorus and nitrogen removal can also be effectively achieved. Further experimental work is needed to confirm these modelling results.
Highlights
IntroductionMembrane aerated biofilm reactors (MABR’s) (Downing & Nerenberg a) represent a recently commercialized aerobic biofilm biological wastewater treatment process where air or pure oxygen is supplied to the inside of a gas
The effect of suspended growth solids residence time (SRT) on effluent total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) for the hybrid membrane aerated biofilm reactors (MABRs) and modified Ludzack–Ettinger (MLE) biological nitrogen removal processes is presented in Figure 5 for the influent wastewater 11.3 mg-chemical oxygen demand (COD)/mg-N case
A much longer suspended growth SRT is required for the conventional MLE process because a sufficient aerobic suspended growth zone must be maintained to allow nitrifiers to grow, in addition to the anoxic zone needed for denitrification
Summary
Membrane aerated biofilm reactors (MABR’s) (Downing & Nerenberg a) represent a recently commercialized aerobic biofilm biological wastewater treatment process where air or pure oxygen is supplied to the inside of a gas. Oxygen diffuses through the membrane and into the attached biofilm, thereby allowing the aerobic growth of heterotrophs and nitrifiers. Substrates in the bulk liquid diffuse into the biofilm from the opposite direction, creating a counter-diffusional process with distinct concentration profiles over other widespread biofilm technologies.
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