Long term experience with an automatic process control for nitrogen removal in membrane bioreactors
Long term experience with an automatic process control for nitrogen removal in membrane bioreactors
The alternating processes applied in membrane bioreactors for municipal wastewater treatment may be an attractive option to reduce the energy consumptions and optimize carbon and nitrogen removal. However, the knowledge of these systems is often based on empirical results so to discourage the plant operators for its adoption. This paper discusses and compares the empirical evidence coming from two different alternating membrane bioreactors, a demonstration and a full-scale one. The two plants treat two real municipal wastewaters, rather different for both C:N ratio and degree of biodegradability of the influent organics. Nine steady-state runs have been carried out in the demonstration plant, while a one whole year operation has been considered for the full-scale system. Combining the results of the two MBRs, it was found that the alternating process was able to adjust automatically and adequately the aeration of the biological reactor with a nitrogen loading rate in the range 0.05–0.18 kgN m?3 d?1 and C:N mass ratios greater than 5–6. As a result, the use of the available carbon source, with concern to the total nitrogen removal, was as low as 0.1 kg of total nitrogen removed per kg of total influent COD. Effluent total nitrogen met the standard for reuse with specific energy consumptions in the range 85–109 gTNremoved per kWhconsumed. Considering the usual loading conditions of the municipal wastewater treatment plants in Italy, membrane bioreactors operating alternating processes may be implemented to increase the nitrogen treatment capacity of existing plants and achieve the standards for reuse
water reuse, demonstration and full scale, membrane bioreactor, intermittent aeration control, upgrading
73-84
Fatone, Francesco
6767074f-8b8c-4a25-83de-14d33d01d826
Battistoni, Paolo
3ae7cd29-ddef-43c5-856a-626ea37bd75e
Bolzonella, David
4d19a164-6356-42c5-a20e-603591a56e4e
Pavan, Paolo
9710de7c-90df-4c7c-87d7-67b12aba3937
Cecchi, Franco
57e8e658-6acf-4ba2-946a-b5e9a8f8ede6
30 July 2008
Fatone, Francesco
6767074f-8b8c-4a25-83de-14d33d01d826
Battistoni, Paolo
3ae7cd29-ddef-43c5-856a-626ea37bd75e
Bolzonella, David
4d19a164-6356-42c5-a20e-603591a56e4e
Pavan, Paolo
9710de7c-90df-4c7c-87d7-67b12aba3937
Cecchi, Franco
57e8e658-6acf-4ba2-946a-b5e9a8f8ede6
Fatone, Francesco, Battistoni, Paolo, Bolzonella, David, Pavan, Paolo and Cecchi, Franco
(2008)
Long term experience with an automatic process control for nitrogen removal in membrane bioreactors.
[in special issue: Issue 1: First Oxford and Nottingham Water and Membranes Research Event 2–4 July 2006, Oxford, UK]
Desalination, 227 (1-3), .
(doi:10.1016/j.desal.2007.05.036).
Abstract
The alternating processes applied in membrane bioreactors for municipal wastewater treatment may be an attractive option to reduce the energy consumptions and optimize carbon and nitrogen removal. However, the knowledge of these systems is often based on empirical results so to discourage the plant operators for its adoption. This paper discusses and compares the empirical evidence coming from two different alternating membrane bioreactors, a demonstration and a full-scale one. The two plants treat two real municipal wastewaters, rather different for both C:N ratio and degree of biodegradability of the influent organics. Nine steady-state runs have been carried out in the demonstration plant, while a one whole year operation has been considered for the full-scale system. Combining the results of the two MBRs, it was found that the alternating process was able to adjust automatically and adequately the aeration of the biological reactor with a nitrogen loading rate in the range 0.05–0.18 kgN m?3 d?1 and C:N mass ratios greater than 5–6. As a result, the use of the available carbon source, with concern to the total nitrogen removal, was as low as 0.1 kg of total nitrogen removed per kg of total influent COD. Effluent total nitrogen met the standard for reuse with specific energy consumptions in the range 85–109 gTNremoved per kWhconsumed. Considering the usual loading conditions of the municipal wastewater treatment plants in Italy, membrane bioreactors operating alternating processes may be implemented to increase the nitrogen treatment capacity of existing plants and achieve the standards for reuse
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e-pub ahead of print date: 24 April 2008
Published date: 30 July 2008
Keywords:
water reuse, demonstration and full scale, membrane bioreactor, intermittent aeration control, upgrading
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Local EPrints ID: 185883
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/185883
ISSN: 0011-9164
PURE UUID: 4f9fcc07-29c0-4e74-ad7e-58be43c3d3bf
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Date deposited: 11 May 2011 12:21
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 03:16
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Author:
Francesco Fatone
Author:
Paolo Battistoni
Author:
David Bolzonella
Author:
Paolo Pavan
Author:
Franco Cecchi
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