A pilot-scale osmotic membrane bioreactor-membrane distillation (OMBR-MD) system was developed for potable wastewater reuse at military forward operating bases. The system consists of forward osmosis (FO) membranes submerged in a bioreactor and an MD system designed to reconcentrate the FO draw solution and generate product water using waste-heat. Prior to testing the pilot-scale system, two different FO membranes were compared at the bench-scale; there was no significant difference between thin-film composite and cellulose triacetate membrane performance. The OMBR subsystem had the same steady-state water flux with 20 and 35 g/L NaCl draw solution, although the 35 g/L draw solution increased bioreactor salinity. The bioreactor was operated with aerobic/anoxic cycling to achieve biological carbon and nitrogen removal in a single reactor. Long-term operation resulted in 98.4% COD removal and 90.2% NH4 plus minus N removal from high-strength wastewater. A novel dosing and transfer system was developed to maintain continuous water production and prevent heat transfer from MD to the OMBR, which is critical for biological nitrogen treatment.
This presentation is available to AMTA Members only.
Speaker
- Christopher P. Morrow, PhD / Nicole Furtaw / Andrea Achilli, PhD / Eric Marchand / Sage Hiibel / Amy Childress
Company
- University of Southern California / University of Nevada, Reno / University of Arizona / University of Nevada, Reno / University of Nevada, Reno / University of Southern California
Event
- AMTA/AWWA Membrane Technology Conference, West Palm Beach, FL
Session
- Membrane Technology Conference (MTC18)
Date
- 03/13/18
Media
Keywords
- Potable reuse, Osmotic membrane bioreactor, Membrane distillation
Reference
- 9685-DP2074