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Updated: Mar 16, 2026
Three-Dimensionally Printed Microfluidic Cross-flow System for Ultrafiltration/Nanofiltration Membrane Performance Testing
Published on: February 13, 2016
CFD simulation and optimization of membrane scouring and nitrogen removal for an airlift external circulation
Min Yang1, Yuansong Wei1, Xiang Zheng2
1State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Abstract:
Cost-effective membrane fouling control and nitrogen removal performance are of great concern in airlift external circulation membrane bioreactors (AEC-MBRs). Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model incorporating sub-models of bio-kinetics, oxygen transfer and sludge rheology was developed for the cost-effective optimization of a lab-scale AEC-MBR. The model was calibrated and validated by extensive measurements of water velocities and water quality parameters in the AEC-MBR. The validated results demonstrated that the optimized height of gas-liquid dispersion was at around 300mm. The shear stress on membrane surface was equalized and had an average value of 1.2Pa under an air flowrate of 1.0m(3)h(-1). The model further revealed that the high nitrogen removal efficiency (>90%) was achieved due to the high recirculation ratio driven by airlift force without destroying the oxygen deprivation and enrichment in the anoxic and oxic zone, respectively.
