Chemical Enhancement for Retrofitting Moving Bed Biofilm and Integrated Fixed Film Activated Sludge Systems into Membrane Bioreactors

Positive effects of retrofitting MBBR and IFAS systems into MBRs can be exploited by introducing chemical enhancement applying coagulants in the membrane separation step. The current study reports basic principles of chemical enhancement with aluminium sulphate coagulant in biofilm-MBR (Bf-MBR) based on results of total recycle tests performed at different dosages of the chemical enhancer and properties characterization of filtrates, supernatants and sediments. It demonstrates a possibility to achieve lower membrane fouling rates with dosing of aluminium sulphate coagulant into MBBR and IFAS mixed liquors by extending operational cycles by 20 and 80 time respectively as well as increasing operating permeability of membrane separation by 1.3 times for IFAS. It has been found that charge neutralization is the dominating mechanism of aluminium sulphate action as a chemical enhancer in Bf-MBR, however, properties of the membrane surface influencing charge repulsion of foulants should be considered together with the secondary ability of the coagulant to improve consolidation of sediments.