A feature of the MBR market over the past decade is the surge in the number of very large (≥100 MLD, or megalitres/day) installations, particularly in China. Of the 55 known global installations of greater than 100 MLD capacity, 39 are in China. The Chinese plants account for 74% of the total capacity of this group.
Feasibility, optimisation and costs | Water quality and treatability
Ever more versatile and sophisticated options for designing and managing plants are being developed. And as the new CAE tools become more accessible and widespread, suppliers continue to develop and refine the tools, so the reliability of their predictions increases – promoting further take-up.
Process biology | Feasibility, optimisation and costs | Pre-treatment and post-treatment | Water quality and treatability
The authors consider cost information from installations across Spain, and compare this with corresponding information for the more conventional activated sludge (CAS) technologies. The CAPEX and OPEX − capital and operating expenditure − information was used to generate cost curves as a function of flow capacity or population equivalent (p.e.) for both technology types.
MBR membranes are prone to fouling generally, and biofouling in particular, by organic matter originating from the microbial cells. These biofoulants vary in concentration with the activated sludge characteristics, such as the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration and solids retention time (SRT) (and so the food/microorganism (F/M) ratio), as well as the feedwater chemistry.
Although a number of studies have compared the MBR system performance with that of the conventional or classical activated sludge (CAS) process in treating municipal wastewater, none have attempted a simultaneous comparison of their environmental, techno-economic and social acceptance aspects.
Feasibility, optimisation and costs | Alternative membrane technologies and applications
MBRs use more energy compared with classical activated sludge (CAS) because the aeration requirements are greater. Aeration is needed both for the biological and membrane tanks for degrading the organics and scouring the membrane respectively. Typically, aeration energy consumption accounts for 70–80% of total energy used for the municipal wastewater treatment process, with 40–60% consumed by the process biology.
Membrane operation | Process biology | Feasibility, optimisation and costs
