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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
Published on: December 25, 2015
Treating municipal wastewater with the goal of resource recovery
P M Sutton1, H Melcer, O J Schraa
1P.M. Sutton & Associates, Inc. 45 Bradford Lane, Enfield, NH 03748, USA. suttenv@aol.com
Abstract:
A new municipal wastewater treatment flowsheet was developed with the objectives of energy sustainability, and water and nutrient recovery. Energy is derived by shunting a large fraction of the organic carbon in the wastewater to an anaerobic digestion system. Aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors play a key role in energy recovery. Phosphorus and nitrogen are removed from the wastewater and recovered through physical-chemical processes. Computer modeling and simulation results together with energy balance calculations, imply the new flowsheet will result in a dramatic reduction in energy usage at lower treatment plant capital costs in comparison to conventional methods.
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