Stress Effects on Fouling of Flat Sheet Membrane Bioreactor Treating Biodegradable Wastewater

摘要

Two laboratory-scale flat sheet membrane bioreactors (FSMBR) with threeflat sheet membrane cartridges in each were set up to treat a synthetic biodegradableindustrial wastewater. Four stress conditions were employed during the studyincluding different organic loading rates (OLR phase), high salt concentration (saltphase), temperature spikes (temperature phase), and mixed liquor suspended solid(MLSS) concentration (MLSS phase). This study investigated the impact of thestress factors on membrane fouling and evaluated the performance of the FSMBR.Under the imposed stress conditions, the experimental reactor had a smallerparticle size, higher average effluent COD concentration, and lower sludgefilterability. The experimental reactor also fouled at a faster rate than the controlreactor. The results showed that imposed stress conditions had an effect on thebacteria in the MBR which impacted sludge characteristics such as filterability,polysaccharide production, floc size, effluent COD concentration, effluent color, andmost importantly the rate of membrane fouling.