Filtration Characterization Method as Tool to Assess Membrane Bioreactor Sludge Filterability—The Delft Experience

Membranes

Maria Lousada-Ferreira⁵  Pawel Krzeminski³  Stefan Geilvoet⁶  Adrien Moreau¹  Jose A. Gil⁴  Herman Evenblij²  Jules B. van Lier⁵ 

[1] Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, 12 Clematis Ave, Waltham, MA 02453, USA; E-Mail:;Waterboard Groot Salland, P.O. Box 60, Zwolle 8000 AB, The Netherlands; E-Mail:;Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Section Water Supply and Sanitation Technology, Gaustadalléen 21, Oslo N-0349, Norway; E-Mail:;Grundfos BioBooster A/S, Randersvej 22a, Langå DK-8870, Denmark; E-Mail:;Department of Water Management, Delft University of Technology, P.O. Box 5048, Delft 2600 GA, The Netherlands; E-Mail:;Waterboard Hollandse Delta, P.O. Box 4103, Ridderkerk 2980 GC, The Netherlands; E-Mail:

关键词: membrane bioreactors;    fouling;    activated sludge;    filterability;    delft filtration characterization method (DFCm);   

DOI  :  10.3390/membranes4020227

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Prevention and removal of fouling is often the most energy intensive process in Membrane Bioreactors (MBRs), responsible for 40% to 50% of the total specific energy consumed in submerged MBRs. In the past decade, methods were developed to quantify and qualify fouling, aiming to support optimization in MBR operation. Therefore, there is a need for an evaluation of the lessons learned and how to proceed. In this article, five different methods for measuring MBR activated sludge filterability and critical flux are described, commented and evaluated. Both parameters characterize the fouling potential in full-scale MBRs. The article focuses on the Delft Filtration Characterization method (DFCm) as a convenient tool to characterize sludge properties, namely on data processing, accuracy, reproducibility, reliability, and applicability, defining the boundaries of the DFCm. Significant progress was made concerning fouling measurements in particular by using straight forward approaches focusing on the applicability of the obtained results. Nevertheless, a fouling measurement method is still to be defined which is capable of being unequivocal, concerning the fouling parameters definitions; practical and simple, in terms of set-up and operation; broad and useful, in terms of obtained results. A step forward would be the standardization of the aforementioned method to assess the sludge filtration quality.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.