Wastewater Management
Membrane bioreactors are becoming the technology of choice in many water treatment plants, but new research shows that they could be even more efficient. Sean Ottewell reports.
Membran-Bioreaktoren werden bei vielen Wasseraufbereitungsanlagen immer stärker bevorzugt, neue Forschungen zeigen jedoch, dass sie sogar noch effizienter sein könnten. Ein Bericht von Sean Ottewell.
Les bioréacteurs à membrane deviennent la technologie privilégiée de nombreuses installations de traitement de l’eau, mais de nouvelles recherches montrent qu’ils pourraient être encore plus efficaces. Dossier de Sean Ottewell.
Increasing the efficiency of membrane bioreactors
I
ncreased recycling of water that has been contaminated during manufacturing processes would help to significantly reduce industry’s carbon footprint, according to research by De Montfort University (DMU) in Leicester,
England. Researchers have found a way to boost the
energy efficiency of a method of recycling industrial wastewater which, if adopted by companies, would help them to reduce the overall amount of water they buy in. The study marks the first time that the efficiency
of membrane bioreactor (MBR) plants has been assessed using computer-modelling techniques. Academics leading the project believe initial results show plants can be made between 10-15 per cent cheaper to operate.
the manufacture of alcohol, or in the cleaning of ingredients used for food products.
Biological materials Contaminants typically include biological materials or industrial by-products and the wastewater is usually thrown away. Parneet Paul, a senior research fellow within
Process Control - Water Software Systems (PC-WSS) and the project coordinator, said: “If the water is recycled, it can be reused, thereby reducing a company’s water utility costs and helping to reduce their energy footprint. “If this wastewater can be fully recovered in an
efficient manner it not only has cost implications for industry as a whole, but could also be a way for industry to meet its targets to reduce its green house gas emissions. Many industries currently do not use these
advanced wastewater treatment systems for full water recovery since their performance has not been fully analysed to date by using computer-modelling techniques.” The three-year, £402 000 project was funded by
the UK government’s Technology Strategy Board as part of its technology programme.
Modelling techniques The aim of the project was to use the latest modelling techniques coupled with measurements taken from electronic sensors and using biochemical laboratory testing, to make these advanced wastewater treatment plants more energy efficient and cost effective for industrial companies. These advanced methods which use ultra-filtration
membranes produce wastewater of excellent quality which is suitable for recycling and could potentially save industrial companies many thousands of pounds in water utility costs. Membrane bioreactors consist of a biological
reactor containing a very high concentration of selective bacterial micro-organisms which ‘digest’ organic contaminants generated from the manufacturing processes.
46
www.engineerlive.com Fig. 1. Parneet Paul carrying out tests
at the pilot plant.
Industrial wastewater is water which has been contaminated while being used for a specific purpose, for example in the brewing process during
Inorganic pollutants The wastewater is then pumped through an ultra- filtration membrane to remove inorganic pollutants. It is then clean enough to be reused as a secondary supply of water, or can be further purified using finer membranes and disinfection procedures. The main operational energy costs are due to aeration of the micro-organisms in the bioreactor
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52