Two stage intermittent aeration membrane bioreactor for simultaneous organic, nitrogen and phosphorus removal

A submerged membrane bioreactor (SMBR) was operated in 2-stage intermittent aeration for simultaneous removal of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus. The system consists of two reactors with a total volume of 0.27 m³ (1st reactor 0.09 m³ and 2nd 0.18 m³). Real domestic wastewater was used as influent to the system. Membrane used for this experiment was hollow fiber polyethylene membrane with pore size of 0.1μm and effective surface area, 4 m². The membrane was submerged in the 2nd reactor for suction type filtration. Experiment was carried out in two phases varying the time cycles of aeration and non-aeration. SRT was maintained at 25 days and HRT, 16–19 hours. MLSS concentration in the reactors was in the range of 2,700–3,400 mg/l. The MLSS internal recycling ratio was maintained at 100% of influent flow rate. When time cycles of aeration and non-aeration were set at 30/90 min and 60/60 min in reactor 1 and 2, the removal of BOD and COD was 98.3% and 95.6%, respectively. A relatively low nitrogen and phosphorus removal was observed in this condition (73.6% as T–N and 46.6% as T–P). However, with 60/60 min intermittent aeration conditions for both reactors, the removal rate of nitrogen and phosphorus for two weeks steady state were enhanced to 91.6% as TN and 66% as TP, respectively. Further a high organic removal (98% BOD and 96.2% COD) was achieved too. In these conditions, the membrane of flux declined from 0.1 m/d to 0.08 m/d and suction filtration was at 10–12 kPa for a month long operation period.