Fine Bubble Diffusers Research Articles

Revamping of a Full-Scale Membrane Plant for Landfill Leachate Pretreatment Using Partial Nitritation.

This paper describes a case study involving a revamping of a full-scale membrane bioreactor that treats landfill leachate and other liquid wastes. The main change was the introduction of nitritation/denitritation in alternating cycles instead of the classic denitrification/nitrification process, together with the installation of fine bubble diffusers, a reduction in the volume of the biological compartment, and an increase in the equalization volume. The most significant results were obtained for the biological compartment, with a decrease in the specific energy consumption of 46.6%. At the same time, the removal efficiency of COD, BOD, and TN substantially remained the same before and after plant revamping, while the removal efficiency of TP increased over the years, reaching an average value of almost 71%. Regarding the ultrafiltration unit, the specific flux (or permeability) was characterized by an increasing trend. At the same time, the specific energy consumption of this section decreased by 9.4%. These results led to the conclusion that the changes introduced with the revamp led to a more stable process, a reduction in membrane fouling, and important energy savings.

Influence of bubble size on perfluorooctanesulfonic acid degradation in a pilot scale non-thermal plasma treatment reactor

A 25L working volume non-thermal plasma-based treatment reactor was trialled to destroy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) utilising argon bubbles to transport PFAS to the surface to be destroyed with plasma interaction at the argon-liquid interface. The breakdown rate of PFAS and the system's overall energy efficiency could be improved while minimising gas usage by utilising small bubbles (0.6–0.7 mm d32) to maximise the transport of PFAS to the plasma discharge for destruction. Vertically scaling the treatment reactor dimensions increases the overall liquid height and dwell time for bubbles to contact and transport PFAS molecules to the surface. The removal rate of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) correlated with the total surface area of the gas. Significant concentration gradients of PFOS could be observed when sampling from different liquid heights within the 25 L reactor. A one-dimensional model of mass transfer to the surface of rising bubbles was developed and gave good predictions of the overall rates of PFOS breakdown with modelled time constants of 0.14–0.18 min−1 versus 0.16 ± 0.01 min−1 for the fine bubble diffuser, and 0.048–0.053 min−1 versus 0.06 min−1 for the medium bubble diffuser. The time constant compared favourably with similar experiments at the 2 L scale of 0.11 min−1.

Membrane bubble aeration unit: Experimental study of the performance in lab scale and full-scale systems

The transfer of oxygen is limited at the gas/liquid interface by the low solubility of oxygen in water. Fine bubble diffusers have a standard oxygen transfer efficiency (SOTE) lower than 30% in a full-scale system. Porous membranes can be employed as diffusor to improve the efficiencies taking the advantage of the high exchange interfacial area and the low volume of equipment. The aim of this work is to study the feasibility of membrane systems for aeration in a full-scale system. Several membrane modules were prepared using hollow fibers hydrophobic membranes and compared with the traditional disk diffusor currently employed in wastewater treatment. The mass transfer coefficient (KLa) and SOTE were assessed by carrying out the aeration tests in both lab-scale and full-scale systems exploring different operating parameters such as system flow rate, the geometry of the module and the surface of the device. The advantage and disadvantages of employing membranes in the aeration process were highlighted. The membrane unit showed better overall mass transfer efficiency increasing from 28% at the lab-scale to 34% in the full-scale system. Unlike the conventional disk diffusers, it has been found that the membrane aerator can operate with significantly lower air flow rates, which leads to a doubling of the efficiency. Moreover, the membrane surface generating the bubbles can be easily increased while maintaining the same module footprint, which in turn allowing a further increase of efficiency from 9% to 24%. However, important phenomena of scaling were observed on the membrane surface.

Efficacy of a Fine Bubble Diffuser in Enhancing Attached Biofilm Hydrogenotrophic Denitrification Reactor Performance

The efficacy of a fine bubble (FB) diffuser in enhancing the performance of an attached biofilm hydrogenotrophic denitrification (HD) reactor was evaluated. HD reactors equipped with an FB diffuser (FB reactor) and an air stone (AS) diffuser that produced ordinary bubbles (AS reactor) were operated in parallel at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) in a synthetic groundwater treatment experiment. A reduction in H2 consumption of approximately 77% was achieved using the FB diffuser to reach a gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient similar to that of the AS diffuser. The high gas dissolution efficiency of the FB diffuser resulted in an effective nitrogen removal rate (NRR) enhancement, requiring less H2 supply. The highest value of NRR at 53.0±9.8 g-N/m3/d was obtained in the FB reactor at a minimum HRT of 3 h, which was two-fold higher than the corresponding value from the AS reactor. The FB reactor also had the lowest requirement of H2 for denitrification reaching 0.1 m3-H2/g-N in this condition, which was ten-fold lower than that in the AS reactor. Furthermore, the suspended sludge concentration in the FB reactor was lower than that in the AS reactor, indicating that the application of the FB diffuser can minimize excess suspended sludge accumulation inside the HD reactor. Microbial community analysis showed the predominance of Thauera spp. reaching a relative abundance of 15.7–27.3% in the FB reactor, suggesting a contribution to the HD. This finding can provide insight into the application of the FB diffuser for optimizing nitrate-contaminated groundwater treatment technology by HD.

Pengaruh Pemasangan Fine Bubble Diffuser terhadap Nilai COD dan BOD Limbah Cair Palm Oil Mill Effluent

The rapid development of the palm oil industry, which cannot be denied, has an impact on the amount of industrial waste, particularly wastewater, requiring proper and effective treatment to reduce the impact of the damage. Wastewater treatment of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) in an aerobic pond requires an adequate supply of oxygen so that its quality improves and becomes disposable, so it requires assistance from aeration media. A fine bubble diffuser was used as the aeration medium in this study. The aeration medium in this study was a fine bubble diffuser. The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of installing a diffuser on the quality of the final wastewater, particularly the COD and BOD values, in the palm oil industry wastewater treatment. The analysis results for the wastewater parameters after the installation of the fine bubble diffuser revealed a significant reduction in the waste's COD and BOD values to 130 – 175 mg/L and 67 – 78 mg/L, respectively, making it more suitable for disposal to the environment.

Enhanced gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient by bulk nanobubbles in water

Liquid-gas operation explores the widespread applications in multiple chemical processes industries. For an instance, the inclusion of fermentation, dissolved air flotation, paper and pulp processing, sludge decomposition, aeration, ozonation, etc. are majorly covered. Liquid-gas contacting devices are primarily employed to perform their mixing, and the conventional contacting devices envelopes the fine bubble diffusers, jet aerators, surface aerators, static mixers, ejectors, etc. The gas transfer into the liquid is done by bubble formation, and the bubbles furthermore diffuses into the bulk liquid. The bubble size plays an important role in the transfer of gas, lower the size of bubbles, more is the rate of gas transfer, such as the mass transfer coefficient is remarkably enhanced by microbubbles when compared with milli-bubbles. In this work, we created O2 nanobubbles by sparging oxygen gas into nanopores, and during the production of nanobubbles, we examined the oxygen gas volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) into the water. Nanoparticle tracking analysis was used to determine the population and size of nanobubbles, and we found that the population of nanobubbles is in the order of 107 bubbles/mL, with a mean diameter of 100–200 nm. The gassing out technique determines the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa), and the influence of gas flow rate on the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) has been demonstrated to be positive. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) in the case of nanobubbles is found significantly larger than that of microbubbles, ranging from 2.2 to 3.8 min−1.

Size of biological flocs in activated sludge systems: Influence of hydrodynamic parameters at different scales

In conventional activated sludge (CAS) systems and membrane bioreactors (MBR), aeration, mixing and filtration are affected by various properties of activated sludge (AS) and especially viscosity and morphological properties of flocs. The aim of the present study was to understand the relationship between hydrodynamic conditions and AS floc size properties. Floc size distribution (FSD) measurements were performed in four systems showing different hydrodynamics: (i) a standard stirred reactor (SR), (ii) a pilot bubble column (BC), (iii) a full-scale aeration zone equipped with fine bubble diffusers, (iv) a full-scale filtration zone equipped with coarse bubble diffusers. The measurements were carried out on-site, using the mixed liquor from a full-scale MBR. The FSD of the given activated sludge mainly depends on the average shear rate (γ̇) and on the circulation time in the SR. To a lesser extent, local properties, such as maximal shear rate, also influence the FSD. In the same way, the main operating parameter governing the FSD in the BC was γ̇. For a similar γ̇, the flocs were slightly larger in the BC than in the SR. In addition, in the full-scale systems, for a similar γ̇ estimated, the FSD characteristic diameters were lower in the filtration zone (with coarse bubbles) than in the aeration zone (with fine bubbles). The FSD in the aeration zone was well correlated with the FSD in the BC whereas the flocs were slightly smaller in the filtration zone than in the BC.

Supersaturated-oxygen aeration effects on a high-loaded membrane bioreactor (HL-MBR): Biological performance and microbial population dynamics

Conventional diffused aeration systems (such as fine-bubble diffusers) exhibit a poor oxygen transfer in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), particularly when operating at sludge concentrations higher than 15 g L−1. The supersaturated dissolved oxygen (SDOX) system has been proposed as an alternative for supplying dissolved oxygen (DO) at high mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentrations. The advantages introduced by such technology include the possibility of operating WWTPs at much higher than usual MLSS concentrations, increasing the treatment capacity of WWTPs. Recent studies have demonstrated that the SDOX system has higher oxygen transfer rates (OTRs) and oxygen transfer efficiencies (OTEs) relative to fine-bubble diffusers. However, it is unknown if the high-pressure conditions introduced by SDOX may possibly impact the biological performance of WWTPs. In this study, the effects of SDOX technology on the biological performance of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) were evaluated. The MBR was operated at an MLSS concentration of approximately 15 g L−1 in four phases as follows: (P1) with bubble diffusers, (P2) with an SDOX unit, (P3) with the bubble diffusers, and (P4) with the SDOX unit. The performance of the MBR was assessed by monitoring the sludge concentration, as well as changes in the particle size distribution (PSD), sludge activity, organic matter removal and nitrification performance, and changes in the microbial community within the MBR. The operational conditions exerted by the SDOX technology did not affect the concentration of active biomass during the study period. The biological performance of the MBR was not affected by the introduction of the SDOX technology. Finally, the microbial community was relatively stable although some variations at the family and genus level were evident during each of the study phases. Therefore, the SDOX system can be proposed as an alternative technology for DO supply in WWTPs increasing the overall treatment capacity.

Experimental study on aeration efficiency in a pilot‐scale decelerated oxidation ditch equipped with fine bubble diffusers and impellers

AbstractThis work is an experimental study on the oxygen transfer capability and efficiency in a pilot‐scale decelerated oxidation ditch equipped with fine bubble diffusers and impellers (inducing horizontal liquid flows). Aqueous solutions of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) exhibiting shear‐thinning rheological properties are selected to simulate activated sludge in the oxidation ditch process. The effect of air flow rate and horizontal liquid velocity along the loop channel on oxygen transfer capability and aeration efficiency is examined in tap water and CMC aqueous solutions. The standard volumetric mass transfer coefficient KLa20, standard oxygen transfer efficiency (SOTE), and standard aeration efficiency (SAE) are introduced to study the oxygen mass transfer performance and energy consumption efficiency in the oxidation ditch. The results show that KLa20, SOTE, and SAE in CMC aqueous solutions follow similar trends observed in tap water. Due to the effect of shear‐thinning rheological properties, KLa20, SOTE, and SAE in CMC aqueous solutions are smaller than those in tap water. Two dimensionless numbers, Froude number and Ohnesorge number are introduced to study the oxygen transfer efficiency through the consideration of the combined influence of aeration, crossflow, gas bubble size, and physical properties of the liquid phase.

Three decades of oxygen transfer tests in clean water in a pilot scale test tank with fine-bubble diffusers and the resulting conclusions for WWTP operation

Abstract We summarized the experience from three decades of oxygen transfer testing and aeration research at the Technical University of Darmstadt to validate the oxygen transfer efficiency of modern fine-bubble diffusers. A total of 306 oxygen transfer tests in clean water of 65 different fine-bubble diffusers, carried out in the same test tank under identical test conditions, were analysed and compared with previous results. As a result, we could show that the performance of fine-bubble aeration systems has increased by 17% over the last three decades. Therefore, modern well-designed and operated aeration systems can achieve specific standard oxygen transfer efficiency (SSOTE) values between 8.5 and 9.8% · m−1. Additionally, a comparison of various diffuser types and diffuser densities was done. Based on the new results, an exemplary cost/benefit analysis for a 100,000 PE WWTP shows the calculation of an optimized diffuser density with respect to investment and operating costs.

Oxygen transfer performance of a supersaturated oxygen aeration system (SDOX) evaluated at high biomass concentrations

Oxygen transfer in wastewater treatment is significantly influenced by the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS). The effect is more pronounced at MLSS concentrations higher than 20g L−1 when supplying air by conventional diffused aeration systems. The oxygen transfer performance of a supersaturated oxygenation technology (i.e., the supersaturated dissolved oxygen (SDOX) system) was evaluated in clean water and in activated sludge with MLSS concentrations from 4 to 40gL−1 as a promising technology for uncapping such limitation. The evaluation was carried out at the laboratory facilities of the faculty of food technology and biotechnology at the University of Zagreb. The sludge was collected from a full-scale conventional activated sludge (CAS) wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operated at a solid retention time (SRT) of approximately 5 days. The evaluation was carried out using a laboratory-scale setup consisting of a bench-scale SDOX system (2.75L) supplying pure oxygen to a 5L biological reactor. The SDOX exhibited oxygen mass transfer rate coefficient (KLa) values (2.6h−1) in clean water lower than for fine bubble diffusers (11h−1). However, higher oxygen transfer rate (OTR) values and alpha factors (mass transfer ratio of process-water to clean-water) as a function of the MLSS concentration were observed. A standard oxygen transfer efficiency (SOTE) of approximately 100 % in clean water was reported. The SDOX technology can be presented as a promising alternative for supplying dissolved oxygen (DO) into mixed liquor solutions; particularly, at the high MLSS concentrations required by high-loaded membrane bioreactor (HL-MBR) systems and aerobic digesters.

Aeration system to be used in wastewater treatment

The main purpose of the authors is to develop an improved aeration system to be used in wastewater treatment that will reduce the energy consumption by 20% for conventional activated sludge wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and by 40% for Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) WWTPs. A new type of aeration system based on fine-bubble diffusers with high endurance and reliability made from corrosion resistant metals is developed. The paper presents the innovative aeration systems with holes smaller than Ø 1 mm. An ultrasound system is used to clean the diffusers for clogging prevention. Ultrasound systems are used in WWTPs, but in the treatment process and not as an additional solution for anticlogging.

Study on ammonia nitrogen and phosphorus removal using sequencing batch reactor

Study on ammonia nitrogen and phosphorus removal using sequencing batch reactor

Oxygen transfer improvement in MBBR process.

In the last years, the upgrading of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) could be required in order to comply with the more stringent regulation requirements. Nevertheless, the main issue is related to the surface availability. A proper solution could be represented by the attached biomass processes, in particular the moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR), that have a significant footprint reduction with respect to conventional activated sludge (CAS). However, MBBR showed an important disadvantage: the poor aeration energy efficiency due to the use of coarse bubble diffusers, which guarantee high reliability and low maintenance costs with respect to fine bubble ones. Moreover, the presence of carriers inside the reactor emphasizes this aspect. The aim of this work is to verify the benefits achievable by installing a fine bubble aeration system inside a MBBR system. The comparison, in terms of oxygen transfer efficiency, between a medium bubble aeration system and a fine ceramic bubble diffuser was studied and the effect of biofilm growth on oxygen transfer was assessed. Several tests were carried out in order to test the operation of a coarse and a fine bubble side aeration at different air flow rates, both in clean water conditions, in order to evaluate the influence of carriers (Chip M type) on the aeration efficiency, both in wastewater conditions with the aim to assess the effect of bacteria growth on the carriers. The main results are the following: (i) the fine bubble system placed off-center ensured good mixing even without using the mixer; (ii) the fine bubble side aeration system compared to the coarse ones did not show significant advantages in terms of oxygen transfer efficiency; (iii) the increase in specific air flow rate negatively influenced the aeration efficiency; (iv) the presence of biomass had a positive effect on the oxygen transfer yield.

Limitations imposed by conventional fine bubble diffusers on the design of a high-loaded membrane bioreactor (HL-MBR).

The operation of membrane bioreactors (MBRs) at higher than usual mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentrations may enhance the loading rate treatment capacity while minimizing even further the system's footprint. This requires operating the MBR at the highest possible MLSS concentration and biomass activity (e.g., at high loading rates and low solid retention times (SRTs)). Both a negative effect of the MLSS concentrations and a positive effect of the SRT on the oxygen transfer have been reported when using conventional fine bubble diffusers. However, most of the evaluations have been carried out either at extremely high SRTs or at low MLSS concentrations eventually underestimating the effects of the MLSS concentration on the oxygen transfer. This research evaluated the current limitations imposed by fine bubble diffusers in the context of the high-loaded MBR (HL-MBR) (i.e., high MLSS and short SRT-the latter emulated by concentrating municipal sludge from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operated at a short SRT of approximately 5days). The high MLSS concentrations and the short SRT of the original municipal sludge induced a large fraction of mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) in the sludge, promoting a large amount of sludge flocs that eventually accumulated on the surface of the bubbles and reduced the free water content of the suspension. Moreover, the short SRTs at which the original municipal sludge was obtained eventually appear to have promoted the accumulation of surfactants in the sludge mixture. This combination exhibited a detrimental effect on the oxygen transfer. Fine bubble diffusers limit the maximum MLSS concentration for a HL-MBR at 30gL-1; beyond that point is either not technically or not economically feasible to operate; an optimum MLSS concentration of 20gL-1 is suggested to maximize the treatment capacity while minimizing the system's footprint.

Development of a Model to Determine the Baseline Mass Transfer Coefficient in Bioreactors (Aeration Tanks).

Over 60 percent of all wastewater treatment plants in the developed countries use the activated sludge process as their secondary treatment system. About 50 to 85 percent of the total energy consumed in a biological wastewater treatment plant is in aeration. The activated sludge process, the most common such process, is performed in large aeration basins to provide air for microorganisms to remove nutrients and pollutants through biodegradation. Designs for the air supply often fail to meet sustained peak organic loading, which may lead to unsatisfactory treatment performance and even plant failure. On the other hand, excessive safety factors used in design for the air supply may similarly lead to unsatisfactory treatment performance and energy wastage. Improper sizing of the aeration system is primarily due to inability to estimate the mass transfer coefficient (KL a) correctly for different tank depths, leading to improper blower design and to inappropriate operation, among other things. In general, the efficiency of porous fine-bubble diffuser systems varies from 10 to 30 percent or more, depending on tank depth. The term KL a is used in ASCE/EWRI Standard 2-06 to define the apparent volumetric mass transfer coefficient in a non-steady-state clean water test in an aeration tank. This parameter is a function of tank depth, due to the variation of oxygen gas depletion with depth. The objective of this paper is to introduce a baseline oxygen mass transfer coefficient (KL a0 ), a hypothetical parameter defined as the oxygen transfer rate coefficient at zero depth, and to develop new models relating KL a to the baseline KL a0 as a function of temperature, system characteristics (e.g., the gas flow rate, the diffuser depth Zd ), and oxygen solubility (Cs ). Results of this study on data extracted from the literature indicate that a uniform value of KL a0 that is independent of tank depth can be obtained experimentally. Using the baseline, a family of rating curves for KL a20 (the standardized KL a at 20 °C) can thus be constructed for various gas flow rates applied to various tank depths. The new model relating KL a to the baseline KL a0 is an exponential function, and (KL a0 )T is found to be inversely proportional to oxygen solubility in water (Cs )T to a high degree of correlation. Using a predetermined baseline KL a0 , the new model predicts oxygen transfer coefficients KL a20 for any tank depth to within 1-3% error compared to observed measurements, and similarly for the standard oxygen transfer efficiency. The discovery of a standard baseline (KL a0 )20 determined from shop tests is important for predicting the KL a20 value for any other aeration tank depth and gas flowrate, and this finding can be used in the development of energy optimization strategies for wastewater treatment plants. This work may also improve the accuracy of aeration models used for aeration system evaluations.

Reverse flexing as a physical/mechanical treatment to mitigate fouling of fine bubble diffusers.

Achieving energy neutrality has shifted focus towards aeration system optimization, due to the high energy consumption of aeration processes in modern advanced wastewater treatment plants. A study on fine bubble diffuser fouling and mitigation, quantified by dynamic wet pressure (DWP), oxygen transfer efficiency and alpha was carried out in Blue Plains, Washington, DC. Four polyurethane fine bubble diffusers were installed in a pilot reactor column fed with high rate activated sludge from a full scale system. A mechanical cleaning method, reverse flexing (RF), was used to treat two diffusers (RF1, RF2), while two diffusers were kept as a control (i.e., no reverse flexing). There was a 45% increase in DWP of the control diffuser after 17 months of operation, an indication of fouling. RF treated diffusers (RF1 and RF2) did not show significant increase in DWP, and in comparison to the control diffuser prevented about 35% increase in DWP. Hence, reverse flexing potentially saves blower energy, by reducing the pressure burden on the air blower which increases blower energy requirement. However, no significant impact of the RF treatment in preventing a decrease in alpha-fouling (αF) of the fine pore diffusers, over time in operation was observed.

Case Study: 75% Energy Savings at a Wastewater Treatment Plant

ABSTRACTThis article is a case study for an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) at the wastewater treatment plant for the City of Riverbank in California. The existing plant has an average of 1.67 million gallons per day (MGD) flow and consists of the headworks, four treatment ponds, and seven percolation ponds. Prior to the project, the treatment ponds used surface aerators to provide oxygen for the biologic process. The plant was primarily operated manually with limited dissolved oxygen control. The utility bills showed excessive energy use—annual usage was 5,673 kWh/MG/yr. Schneider Electric and the City of River-bank entered into a construction contract to retrofit the treatment ponds with blowers and fine-bubble diffusers for more efficient oxygen transfer. Additionally, a control system was installed to maintain a dissolved oxygen set point. This scope of work is estimated to save 75% of the electricity consumption at the wastewater treatment plant and will save the city 65% of their electric...

Impact of suspended solids on the activated sludge non-newtonian behaviour and on oxygen transfer in a bubble column

This paper presents the experimental study and analysis performed in order to better understand the link between activated sludge properties, rheological behaviour and oxygen transfer. The experimental set-up consists of a bubble column of 0.3m3 continuously fed with activated sludge and a capillary rheometer, installed in two different wastewater treatment plants: a conventional activated sludge plant and a membrane bioreactor. In the bubble column, equipped with a fine bubble diffuser, the overall gas hold-up (ϵG) and volumetric oxygen transfer coefficients (kLa) were measured. A fraction of the column outflow was sent to the capillary rheometer where the activated sludge rheological behaviour was investigated. Several properties of the studied activated sludge were characterised (MLSS, MLVSS, soluble COD, surfactants, surface tension, soluble cations) and their impact on rheology and oxygen transfer was examined.The experimental data showed that the parameters K and n, from the Ostwald-de Waele rheological model, were strongly related to the suspended solids concentration (in terms of MLSS or MVLSS). An increase in kLa was observed as the superficial gas velocity (UG) was increased. Compared to clean water, the kLa coefficient was lower in activated sludge and still reduced with an increase of the MLSS concentration. This reduction could be partially attributed to a lower gas holdup (εG) associated with an increase in the sludge apparent viscosity (μapp) leading to a reduction of the specific interfacial area (a). Subsequently, an estimation of the mean shear rate exerted by the bubble swarm in the column allowed to evaluate the sludge apparent viscosity (μapp) of the mixed liquor at a given superficial gas velocity and MLSS concentration. Finally an empirical correlation linking kLa to the superficial gas velocity (UG) and the sludge apparent viscosity was obtained for both types of sludge. The good agreement between the experimental and the fitted data suggests that kLa can be estimated from the superficial gas velocity and the rheological behaviour.

Energy-efficient wastewater treatment via the air-based, hybrid membrane biofilm reactor (hybrid MfBR).

We used modeling to predict the energy and cost savings associated with the air-based, hybrid membrane-biofilm reactor (hybrid MfBR). This process is obtained by replacing fine-bubble diffusers in conventional activated sludge with air-supplying, hollow-fiber membrane modules. Evaluated processes included removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), combined COD and total nitrogen (TN) removal, and hybrid growth (biofilm and suspended). Target concentrations of COD and TN were based on high-stringency water reuse scenarios. Results showed reductions in power requirements as high as 86%. The decrease mainly resulted from the dramatically lower air flows for the MBfR, resulting from its higher oxygen-transfer efficiencies. When the MBfR was used for COD and TN removal, savings up to US$200/1,000 m(3) of treated water were predicted. Cost savings were highly sensitive to the costs of the membrane modules and electrical power. The costs were also very sensitive to membrane oxidation flux for ammonia, and the membrane life. These results suggest the hybrid MBfR may provide significant savings in energy and costs. Further research on the identified key parameters can help confirm these modeling predictions and facilitate scale-up.