Implications of changes in solids retention time on long term evolution of sludge filterability in anaerobic membrane bioreactors treating high strength industrial wastewater

Long-term experiments were conducted to assess the impact of changing the solids retention time (SRT) on sludge filterability in anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs), treating corn-based bioethanol thin stillage. Well established parameters, such as capillary suction time (CST) and specific resis...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water research (Oxford) 2014-08, Vol.59, p.11-22
Main Authors: Dereli, Recep Kaan, Grelot, Aurelie, Heffernan, Barry, van der Zee, Frank P., van Lier, Jules B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anaerobic membrane bioreactor
Anaerobic treatment
Applied sciences
Biological and medical sciences
Biological treatment of waters
Bioreactors
Biotechnology
Corn thin stillage
Correlation
Environment and pollution
Exact sciences and technology
Filterability
Filtration
Filtration - methods
Fouling
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects
Industrial Waste
Industrial wastewaters
Membrane fouling
Membranes
Pollution
Sewage
Sludge
Sludge filterability
Solids retention time
Time Factors
Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods
Waste Water
Wastewaters
Water treatment and pollution
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Long-term experiments were conducted to assess the impact of changing the solids retention time (SRT) on sludge filterability in anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs), treating corn-based bioethanol thin stillage. Well established parameters, such as capillary suction time (CST) and specific resistance to filtration (SRF), developed for sludge dewatering, were used to evaluate the SRT effect on sludge filterability. Our results clearly demonstrated that SRT is one of the most important factors influencing sludge filterability in AnMBRs. SRT effects the accumulation of fine particles and solutes, which were found to affect attainable flux and fouling, in reactor broth. A better filterability was observed at a SRT of 20 days compared to elevated SRTs, i.e. 50 days. A clear correlation between sludge filtration characteristics and membrane filtration resistance could not be established especially at short SRTs, whereas many parameters such as total suspended solids (TSS), CST, soluble microbial products (SMP) and supernatant filterability were found to be mutually correlated. Net membrane fluxes between 9 and 13 L m−2 h−1 were obtained at 0.5 m s−1 cross-flow velocity and the long term fouling was controlled by using frequent filtration and backwash cycles. •Accumulation of colloids and solutes in AnMBRs can be limited by SRT optimization.•Better sludge filterability was observed at 20 days SRT compared to elevated SRTs.•Sludge physicochemical characteristics correlated well with sludge filterability.•Gross membrane fluxes between 10 and 14 L m−2 h−1 were obtained at 0.5 m s−1 CFV.
ISSN:0043-1354
1879-2448
DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2014.03.073