Development of a low-cost dynamic filter immersed in activated sludge system

Wasted non-woven material was employed to develop a dynamic filter immersed in bioreactor (DFIB) to treat low strength wastewater. A bench-scale DFIB was investigated to evaluate its feasibility. The maximum permeate flux of this innovative DFIB was more than 3 times greater than that of a conventional non-woven filter and even similar to that of a mesh filter, while the effluent quality of the developed DFIB in terms of turbidity, SS, and COD was better than that of a mesh filter, which were below 1.5 NTU, 3 and 35 mg/L, respectively. Such effluent quality with appropriate disinfection could meet the requirement for wastewater reuse for various urban usages. The acceptable MLSS level was identified not greater than 5 g/L in order to secure the effluent quality, when the maximum permeate flux of 1.5 m³/m²·day and daily backwash are applied. The large permeate flux rate and relatively high MLSS level of the DFIB can achieve cost-effective treatment of low strength wastewater.