Large-Scale Membrane Bioreactors for Industrial Wastewater Treatment in China: Technical and Economic Features, Driving Forces, and Perspectives

Abstract

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have been and will continue playing an important role in industrial wastewater treatment and reuse in China. The sustainable development of MBR technology in its mature-application stage requires reciprocal interactions between engineering and research participants. Thus, in this study, a total of 182 large-scale MBR projects treating industrial wastewater (with individual treatment capacities ≥ 5000 m 3 ·d −1 ) commissioned and under construction from 2003 to 2019 were analyzed comprehensively. Fast growth of the cumulative treatment capacity was observed, with extension to diverse industries, and the super large-scale was enhanced recently. The treatment processes, pollutant removal efficiencies, and actual operational parameters were summarized regarding the particularity of industrial wastewater compared to municipal wastewater. Economic features including the total investment costs of the projects, their total footprint, and their operational energy consumption were analyzed as well. A vigorous MBR market has formed in China with the fast development of membrane elements and engineering suppliers, continuously increasing official oriented projects, and responsive and innovative business modes. MBR technology has been mostly applied in specific economic zones and water-deficient areas, but its widespread use all over China is foreseeable considering the vast future market for industrial wastewater treatment and recycling. The policy–economy and market–technology driving forces revealed that MBR is consistent with the national development demand. According to the survey and analysis, prospective development in both engineering and research aspects of MBR is proposed to maintain its competitive edge.