Intensified production of microalgae and removal of nutrient using a microalgae membrane bioreactor (MMBR)

In present research, a microalgae membrane bioreactor (MMBR) was constructed by combining the optical panel photobioreactor (OPPBR) and membrane bioreactor (MBR). Experiments were conducted in MMBR pilot-plant configuration for 150 days. A biomass productivity of 2.53 g/l/day with light transmittance of 94 % at a 300-mm depth in the OPPBR was achieved. The total reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in the MMBR were found to be 96.99 and 97.09 %, respectively. Additionally, the removal of total nitrogen (TN), NH4-N, NO3-N, total phosphorus (TP), and PO4-P were 96.38, 99.80, 97.62, 92.75, and 90.84 % in MMBR, respectively. These results indicated that the MMBR process was highly effective for COD, BOD, and nutrient removal when compared to the OPPBR or MBR process.