Numerical modeling of an electrically enhanced membrane bioreactor (MBER) treating medium-strength wastewater

J Environ Manage. 2015 Dec 1:164:1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.08.031. Epub 2015 Sep 1.

Abstract

In this paper, a numerical model of an electrically enhanced membrane bioreactor (MBER) was developed. MBER is a reactor that combines biological decomposition, membrane filtration and electrocoagulation of wastewater pollutants in a hybrid unit. To assess its design, the final contents and removal efficiencies of organics, nutrients, and metals were carried out using varying influent compositions. In a 60-day test of a laboratory-scale MBER, experimental results were used to calibrate and validate the model. The modeling results were in agreement with the experimental data and showed that the MBER can remove 99% of total phosphorus (TP), 99.9% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), 91% of total nitrogen (TN), 79% of nickel (Ni), 89% of iron (Fe), and 80% of chromium (Cr), using a current density of 15 A/m(2) intermittently supplied in a cycle of 5 min ON and 15 min OFF.

Keywords: Bioprocess; Electrokinetics; Membrane; Modeling; Wastewater.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  • Bioreactors*
  • Electricity
  • Equipment Design
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Metals / chemistry
  • Metals / metabolism
  • Models, Theoretical*
  • Nitrogen / analysis
  • Nitrogen / metabolism
  • Phosphorus / chemistry
  • Phosphorus / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / instrumentation
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*
  • Wastewater / chemistry
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / metabolism

Substances

  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Metals
  • Waste Water
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Phosphorus
  • Nitrogen