[Influencing factors for operational performance of a biofilm reactor with microbubble aeration using SPG membrane]

The microbubble-aerated biofilm reactor provides a feasibility to apply microbubble aeration in aerobic wastewater treatment processes. In this study, Shirasu porous glass (SPG) membranes were used for microbubble aeration in a fixed bed biofilm reactor treating synthetic municipal wastewater. The influencing factors for operational performance of the bioreactor were investigated, including operating parameters, SPG membrane fouling and its structural changes. The results indicated that there was no significant influences of air flux, organic loading rate and packed bed on COD removal and an average COD removal efficiency of 80% -90% could be achieved under different operating conditions. On the other hand, the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations decreased significantly along with reducing air flux or increasing organic loading rate. As a result, the ammonia removal deteriorated gradually and the average ammonia removal efficiency decreased from 80% -90% to 20% -30% At the same time, the total nitrogen (TN) removal achieved in the simultaneous nitrification and denitrification process was also reduced from 30% -40% to about 20% , due to nitrification inhibition. Higher available porosity could be obtained when ring packing was used in the fixed bed, resulting in improvement of contaminant removal performance. An oxygen utilization efficiency of close to 100% could be achieved at low air fluxes or high organic loading rates during microbubble aeration. Both biofilm growth and organic foulant accumulation on SPC, membrane surface contributed to membrane fouling after long-term operation. The average pore size and porosity of SPG membrane increased significantly due to the chemical corrosion caused by alkali NaClO solution used for online cleaning. Then the air permeation of SPG membrane was affected by membrane fouling and destroyed pore structure.