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Development of Sulfidogenic Sludge from Marine Sediments and Trichloroethylene Reduction in an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor
Published on: October 15, 2015
Membrane installation for enhanced up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) performance
Yin Liu1, Kaisong Zhang, Rune Bakke
1Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China. yinliu@iue.ac.cn
Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering
|April 13, 2013
Summary
Integrating a membrane into an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor as an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) significantly improves wastewater treatment efficiency. This AnMBR configuration enhances biological activity and sludge retention for superior total organic carbon removal.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Water Treatment Technologies
- Bioreactor Design
Background:
- Up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors are common for wastewater treatment.
- Enhancing UASB reactor efficiency for low-strength wastewater is an ongoing challenge.
- Membrane integration offers potential for improved performance and stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the enhancement of UASB reactor efficiency through membrane immersion, creating an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR).
- To compare the performance of UASB reactors with and without immersed hollow fiber microfiltration membranes.
- To evaluate the impact of AnMBR operation on total organic carbon (TOC) removal and microbial community structure.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of UASB reactors operated with and without immersed hollow fiber microfiltration membranes.
- Operation at two specific organic loading rates (SOLR).
- Analysis of TOC removal efficiency, biomass activity, and microbial community composition.
Main Results:
- AnMBR operation consistently achieved over 90% TOC removal, enhancing process performance and stability.
- Suspended biomass accounted for over 91% of TOC removal, indicating enhanced biological activity.
- High retention of active fine sludge particles in AnMBRs led to improved performance and a microbial community dominated by Methanothrix-like microbes.
Conclusions:
- Transforming UASB to AnMBR operation enhances performance when loading rates are high or effluent quality demands are stringent.
- Membrane integration facilitates superior sludge retention, boosting biological activity and overall treatment efficiency.
- AnMBR technology offers a viable solution for effective low-strength wastewater treatment with improved stability and TOC removal.
Keywords:
AnMBRAnaerobic digestionBiofilmHAnMBRHUASBLAnMBRLUASBLow-strength wastewaterMLSSMembrane filtrationSMASOLRSludge loading rateSpecific methanogenic activityUASBanaerobic membrane bioreactorhigh load AnMBRhigh load UASBlow load AnMBRlow load UASBmixed liquor suspended solidsspecific methanogenic activityspecific organic loading rateupflow anaerobic sludge blanket
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