Factors affecting filtration characteristics in membrane-coupled moving bed biofilm reactor

Factors affecting filtration characteristics in submerged hollow fiber membrane were investigated in membrane-coupled moving bed biofilm reactor (M-CMBBR). The trend of membrane biofouling in M-CMBBR was quite different from that in a conventional membrane bioreactor (MBR). The M-CMBBR showed much lower biofouling rate than a conventional MBR. Whereas the membrane biofouling in conventional MBR system is known to be dependent mostly on biochemical effects of mixed liquor (soluble COD, EPS, etc.), the extent of biofouling in M-CMBBR was largely dependent on the potential collision energy of biofilm carriers (media) moving freely and colliding with surfaces of submerged hollow fibers. The collisions between circulating media and hollow fiber membranes gave rise to frictional forces which mitigated the formation of biofilms on the outer surface of hollow fibers. Consequently, the membrane permeability was greatly enhanced. The potential collision energy of moving media was dependent on the media volume fraction as well as the air flow rate. The membrane permeability was found to be proportional to the relative potential collision energy of the biofilm carriers. The frictional effect on the morphology of biofilms formed on the surface of organic membrane under various operating condition was also examined and identified through their visualization with SEM and AFM.     

Combined nitrification/denitrification in a membrane reactor

An ever stricter legislation regulating wastewater leads to an increasing demand for biological treatment plants which are able to selectively eliminate nitrogen from wastewaters with a high influent concentration, even when operating in partial influent mode. A membrane-tube-module (MSM) reactor (Membran-Schlauch-Modul-Reaktor) was constructed and realized in the IUV at the University of Bremen. The present approach makes use of all the various layers of the whole biofilm, enabling nitrification and denitrification processes to run simultaneously in one and the same biofilm under optimized conditions. The biological degradation capacity of the system was first successfully tested with synthetic wastewater, and subsequently in a real application with effluents from a recycling of animal carcasses plant and from a coke-oven plant. A mathematical model was devised which describes this biofilm system. The resulting equations were solved by means of the simulation software AQUASIM.     

Multidimensional modeling of biofilm development and fluid dynamics in a hydrogen-based,membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR)

A two-dimensional, particle-based biofilm model coupled with mass transport and computational fluid dynamics was developed to simulate autotrophic denitrification in a spiral-wound membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR), where hydrogen is supplied via hollow-fiber membrane fabric. The spiral-wound configuration consists of alternating layers of plastic spacer net and membrane fabric that create rows of flow channels, with the top and bottom walls comprised of membranes. The transversal filaments of the spacer partially obstruct the channel flow, producing complex mixing and shear patterns that require multidimensional representation. This study investigated the effect of hydrogen and nitrate concentrations, as well as spacer configuration, on biofilm development and denitrification fluxes. The model results indicate that the cavity spacer filaments, which rest on the bottom membranes, cause uneven biofilm growth. Most biofilm resided on the bottom membranes, only in the wake of the filaments where low shear zones formed. In this way, filament configuration may help achieve a desired biofilm thickness. For the conditions tested in this study, the highest nitrate fluxes were attained by minimizing the filament diameter and maximizing the filament spacing. This lowered the shear stress at the top membranes, allowing for more biofilm growth. For the scenarios studied, biomass limitation at the top membranes hindered performance more significantly than diffusion limitation in the thick biofilms at the bottom membranes. The results also highlighted the importance of two-dimensional modeling to capture uneven biofilm growth on a substratum with geometrical complexity.     

Simultaneous nitrification/denitrification in a biofilm airlift suspension (BAS) reactor with biodegradable carrier material

Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in one reactor has been realized with different methods in the past. The usage of biodegradable biocompounds as biofilm carriers is new. The biocompounds were designed out of two polymers having different degradability. Together with suspended autotrophic biomass the biocompound particles were fluidized in an airlift reactor. Process water from sludge dewatering with a mean ammonium nitrogen concentration of 1150 mg L⁻¹ was treated in a two stage system which achieved a nitrogen removal of 75%. Batch experiments clearly indicate that nitrification can be localized in the suspended biomass and denitrification in the pore structure of the slowly degraded biocompounds. Images taken with CLSM prove the concept of the pore structure within the biocompounds, which provide both a heterotrophic biofilm and carbon source.     

Degradation of polymers in a biofilm airlift suspension reactor

The effect of degradation of polymeric substrates (starch and soy proteins mixture) on the structure of biofilms has been studied. The characteristics of the obtained biofilms were compared to those obtained on corresponding monomeric substrates (glucose and aspartic acid). Based on literature suggestions it was hypothesized that the polymeric substrates, which have a low diffusion rate in the biofilm matrix, would affect the biofilm structure if hydrolytic activity occurs in the biofilm. The obtained biofilm could be expected to present properties like low density and rough surface, facilitating transport and conversion of large polymeric molecules. From the present study it was concluded that the structure of the formed biofilms was influenced by the substrate degraded, however no unequivocal effect of degradation of a polymer on the biofilm structure could be observed. The hydrolytic activity with soy protein and starch as substrate was under stable conditions found to be mainly associated to the biofilm (more than 95% of the total activity). During unstable conditions or start-up significant hydrolytic activity occurred outside the biofilm.     

Achieving biofilm control in a membrane biofilm reactor removing total nitrogen

Membrane biofilm reactors (MBfR) utilize membrane fibers for bubble-less transfer of gas by diffusion and provide a surface for biofilm development. Nitrification and subsequent autotrophic denitrification were carried out in MBfR with pure oxygen and hydrogen supply, respectively, in order to remove nitrogen without the use of heterotrophic bacteria. Excessive biomass accumulation is typically the major cause of system failure of MBfR. No biomass accumulation was detected in the nitrification reactor as low-level discharge of solids from the system balanced out biomass generation. The average specific nitrification rate during 250 days of operation was 1.88 g N/m² d. The subsequent denitrification reactor, however, experienced decline of performance due to excessive biofilm growth, which prompted the implementation of periodic nitrogen sparging for biofilm control. The average specific denitrification rate increased from 1.50 g N/m² d to 1.92 g N/m² d with nitrogen sparging, over 190 days thus demonstrating the feasibility of stable long-term operation. Effluent suspended solids increased immediately following sparging: from an average of 2.5 mg/L to 12.7 mg/L. This periodic solids loss was found unavoidable, considering the theoretical biomass generation rates at the loadings used. A solids mass balance between the accumulating and scoured biomass was established based on the analysis of the effluent volatile solids data. Biofilm thickness was maintained at an average of 270 μm by the gas sparging biofilm control. It was concluded that biomass accumulation and scouring can be balanced in autotrophic denitrification and that long-term stable operation can be maintained.     

Aerobic treatment of concentrated wastewater in a submerged bed reactor

The performance of an aerobic submerged bed reactor applied to the treatment of a concentrated effluent was assessed. The wastewater employed was diluted stillage of alcohol distilleries, presenting a COD content of 3000–3500 mg l⁻¹. The reactor was continuously operated during 200 days, corresponding to five residence times varying from 23 to 4.5 h. The results show that 60–80% of COD removal may be obtained with 10–16 h of residence time. The advantages of this type of reactor are pointed out and suggestions of improvement are also presented.     

Nitrogen dynamics and removal in a horizontal flow biofilm reactor for wastewater treatment

A horizontal flow biofilm reactor (HFBR) designed for the treatment of synthetic wastewater (SWW) was studied to examine the spatial distribution and dynamics of nitrogen transformation processes. Detailed analyses of bulk water and biomass samples, giving substrate and proportions of ammonia oxidising bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidising bacteria (NOB) gradients in the HFBR, were carried out using chemical analyses, sensor rate measurements and molecular techniques. Based on these results, proposals for the design of HFBR systems are presented.The HFBR comprised a stack of 60 polystyrene sheets with 10-mm deep frustums. SWW was intermittently dosed at two points, Sheets 1 and 38, in a 2 to 1 volume ratio respectively. Removals of 85.7% COD, 97.4% 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅) and 61.7% TN were recorded during the study.In the nitrification zones of the HFBR, which were separated by a step-feed zone, little variation in nitrification activity was found, despite decreasing in situ ammonia concentrations. The results further indicate significant simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) activity in the nitrifying zones of the HFBR. Sensor measurements showed a linear increase in potential nitrification rates at temperatures between 7 and 16 °C, and similar rates of nitrification were measured at concentrations between 1 and 20 mg NH₄-N/l. These results can be used to optimise HFBR reactor design. The HFBR technology could provide an alternative, low maintenance, economically efficient system for carbon and nitrogen removal for low flow wastewater discharges.     

Microbial diversity in a thermophilic aerobic biofilm process: analysis by length heterogeneity PCR (LH-PCR)

A two-stage pilot-scale thermophilic aerobic suspended carrier biofilm process (SCBP) was set up for the on-site treatment of pulp and paper mill whitewater lining. The microbial diversity in this process was analyzed by length heterogeneity analysis of PCR-amplified 16S ribosomal DNA. The primer pair selected for PCR amplification was first evaluated by a computational analysis of fragment lengths in ten main phylogenetical eubacterial groups. The fragment contained the first third of the 16S rRNA gene, which was shown to vary naturally between 465 and 563 bp in length. The length heterogeneity analysis of polymerase chain reaction (LH-PCR) profile of the biomass attached to carrier elements was found to be diverse in both stages of the SCBP. During normal operating conditions, sequences belonging to beta-Proteobacteria, Cytophaga/Flexibacter/Bacteroides group and gamma-Proteobacteria were assigned to the most prominent LH-PCR peak. Samples from the suspended biomass consisted of completely different bacterial populations, which were, however, similar in the serial reactors. The pilot process experienced alkaline shocks, after which Bacillus-like sequences were detected in both the biofilm and suspended biomass. However, when the conditions were reversed, the normal microbial population in the biofilm recovered rapidly without further biomass inoculations. This study shows that LH-PCR is a valuable method for profiling microbial diversity and dynamics in industrial wastewater processes.     

CASS处理低碳氮比生活污水试验研究

采用CASS工艺对低碳氮比生活污水进行处理研究,试验结果表明：通过外加甲醇将碳氮比调整到5∶1,排水比50%,混合液回流比100%的情况下,最佳运行工况为充水曝气6 h,沉淀1 h,滗水0.5 h,静置0.5 h,在进水COD为210 mg/L-375 mg/L,TN为52 mg/L-62 mg/L,TP为1.9 mg/L-2.9 mg/L,SS为100 mg/L-202 mg/L的情况下,出水COD为5 mg/L-50 mg/L,TN为10 mg/L-21 mg/L,TP为0.5 mg/L-1.2 mg/L,SS为6 mg/L-19 mg/L,出水各项指标稳定且达到排放标准。     

一体化IMBR处理低碳城市污水的脱氮研究

在进水C／N为3、4、5和HRT为4、8、12h的条件下,研究了一体化间歇曝气膜生物反应器（IMBR）对COD、NH4^＋-N、TN的去除效果。研究表明,在低C／N条件下,IMBR仍有很好的脱氮效果,出水COD、TN、NH4^＋-N达到了GB18918--2002标准的一级A标准;随着C／N的增加则对各污染物的去除率都有所升高;随着HRT的延长,IMBR对COD、TN、NH4^＋-N的去除率有较大的提高,但当HRT〉8h后,随着HRT的延长,对COD的去除率反而略有下降。     

Characterization of dissolved organic matter in a submerged membrane bioreactor by using three-dimensional excitation and emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy

Three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy was employed to characterize dissolved organic matter (DOM) in a submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR). Three fluorescence peaks could be identified from the EEM fluorescence spectra of the DOM samples in the MBR. Two peaks were associated with the protein-like fluorophores, and the third was related to the visible humic acid-like fluorophores. Only two main peaks were observed in the EEM fluorescence spectra of the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) samples, which were due to the fluorescence of protein-like and humic acid-like matters, respectively. However, the EEM fluorescence spectra of membrane foulants were observed to have three peaks. It was also found that the dominant fluorescence substances in membrane foulants were protein-like substances, which might be due to the retention of proteins in the DOM and/or EPS in the MBR by the fine pores of the membrane. Quantitative analysis of the fluorescence spectra including peak locations, fluorescence intensity, and different peak intensity ratios and the fluorescence regional integration (FRI) analysis were also carried out in order to better understand the similarities and differences among the EEM spectra of the DOM, EPS, and membrane foulant samples and to further provide an insight into membrane fouling caused by the fluorescence substances in the DOM in submerged MBRs.     

生物滤池/生态砾石床处理含氮微污染地表水

采用生物滤池/生态砾石床组合工艺进行了微污染地表水(含低碳、高NO3--N浓度)的脱氮研究,通过投加乙酸钠为碳源考察了C/N值、温度、水力负荷对反应器脱氮效能的影响。结果表明,C/N值对反应器的脱氮效能影响较大,在C/N值为10时可以取得较高的反硝化效率(>90%)。在低温下(2～10℃)反应器的反硝化效能受到严重抑制;在13～17℃条件下,反硝化效率恢复到60%左右;当水温>20℃时,在水力负荷为8 m3/(m2.h)的条件下(此时生物滤池和生态砾石床的水力停留时间分别为15、30 min),对NO3--N的去除率能够达到90%以上。生态砾石床能够将生物滤池出水中残余的碳源去除,保证了出水的水质安全。     

长江流域某污水处理厂的工艺改造

长江流域某污水处理厂采用A-A2/O工艺,在运行中存在TN偶然超标的现象,这主要与进水水质波动较大、C/N值有时偏低以及低温天气有关。为此,提出了关闭部分曝气装置、增设搅拌器、多点进水等解决措施。改造后,出水TN浓度大幅降低,达到了GB18918—2002的一级A标准,运行成本减少,管理更为方便。     

Geochemical characteristics and fluxes of organic carbon in a human-disturbed mountainous river (the Luodingjiang River) of the Zhujiang (Pearl River), China

This study aims to investigate the state of the riverine organic carbon in the Luodingjiang River under human impacts, such as reforestation, construction of reservoirs and in-stream damming. Seasonal and spatial characteristics of total suspended sediment (TSS), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC), as well as C/N ratios and the stable carbon isotopic signatures of POC (δ¹³C_POC) were examined based on a one-year study (2005) in the basin-wide scale. More frequent sampling was conducted in the outlet of the river basin at Guanliang hydrological station. DOC and POC concentrations showed flush effects with increasing water discharge and sediment load in the basin-wide scale. Atomic C/N ratio of POC had a positive relationship with TSS in the outlet of the basin, indicating the reduced aquatic sources and enhanced terrestrial sources during the high flood season. However, the similar relationship was not observed in the basin-wide scale mainly due to the spatial distributions of soil organic carbon and TSS. δ¹³C_POC showed obvious seasonal variations with enriched values in the period with high TSS concentration, reflecting the increased contribution from C₄ plants with enhanced soil erosion.The specific flux of the total organic carbon (2.30 t km^− 2 year^− 1) was smaller than the global average level. The ratio of DOC to POC was 1.17, which is higher than most rivers under Asian monsoon climate regime. The organic carbon flux was estimated to decline with decreasing sediment load as a result of reforestation, reservoir construction and in-stream damming, which demonstrates the impacts of human disturbances on the global carbon cycle.