The combination of membrane filtration with a suspended-growth bioreactor — producing MF/UF-quality effluent ideal for reuse.
Membrane technology has led to a revolutionary new concept in wastewater treatment. Membranes act as a barrier to bacteria and suspended solids to produce a low-turbidity effluent with very low bacteria counts. A Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) is the combination of a membrane process — such as microfiltration or ultra-filtration — with a suspended-growth bioreactor. This very compact arrangement produces an MF/UF-quality effluent suitable for reuse applications, or as a high-quality feed-water source for Reverse Osmosis treatment.
The submerged configuration relies on coarse-bubble aeration to produce mixing and limit fouling. Aeration maintains solids in suspension, scours the membrane surface and provides oxygen to the biomass, leading to better biodegradability and cell synthesis.
Membrane Bioreactors operate at solid retention times (SRT) as low as 10–20 days, resulting in more manageable mixed-liquor suspended-solids (MLSS) levels of 10–15 g/L. Under these operating conditions, oxygen transfer and pumping cost decrease and overall maintenance is simplified. Typical hydraulic retention times (HRT) range between 3 and 10 hours. Mainly hollow-fibre and flat-sheet membranes are applied for MBR applications.
Tell us your reuse target and CWG will design the right membrane bioreactor for your site.
