Comparison between Thermophilic and Mesophilic Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactors—A Modeling Study

The concept of thermophilic membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (ThMABR) is studied by modeling. This concept combines the advantages and overcomes the disadvantages of conventional MABR and thermophilic aerobic biological treatment and has great potential to develop a new type of ultra-compact, highly efficient bioreactor for high-strength wastewater and waste gas treatments. Mathematical modeling was conducted to investigate the impact of temperature (mesophilic vs. thermophilic) and oxygen partial pressure on oxygen and substrate concentration profiles, membrane–biofilm interfacial oxygen concentration, oxygen penetration distance, and oxygen and substrate fluxes into biofilms. The general trend of oxygen transfer and substrate flux into biofilm between ThAnMBR and MMABR was verified by the experimental results in the literature. The results from modeling studies indicate that the ThMABR has significant advantages over the conventional mesophilic MABR in terms of improved oxygen and pollutant flux into biofilms and biodegradation rates, and an optimal biofilm thickness exists for maximum oxygen and substrate fluxes into the biofilm.

[1]  P. Lens,et al.  Biological biogas purification: Recent developments, challenges and future prospects. , 2021, Journal of environmental management.

[2]  C. Picioreanu,et al.  Controlling the hydraulic resistance of membrane biofilms by engineering biofilm physical structure. , 2022, Water research.

[3]  G. Daigger,et al.  Recent progress using membrane aerated biofilm reactors for wastewater treatment. , 2021, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[4]  K. Gernaey,et al.  Long-term operation assessment of a full-scale membrane-aerated biofilm reactor under Nordic conditions. , 2021, The Science of the total environment.

[5]  F. Kong,et al.  Recent advances in membrane aerated biofilm reactors , 2020 .

[6]  Amid Shakeri,et al.  Suppression of Biofouling on a Permeable Membrane for Dissolved Oxygen Sensing Using a Lubricant-Infused Coating. , 2019, ACS sensors.

[7]  Yi Ding,et al.  The Performance and Microbial Community Identification in Mesophilic and Atmospheric Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Associated with Different Hydraulic Retention Times , 2019, Water.

[8]  Alnour Bokhary,et al.  Thermophilic membrane bioreactors: A review. , 2017, Bioresource technology.

[9]  B. Ni,et al.  Sulfide removal and sulfur production in a membrane aerated biofilm reactor: Model evaluation , 2017 .

[10]  H. Ngo,et al.  Autotrophic nitrogen removal in membrane-aerated biofilms: Archaeal ammonia oxidation versus bacterial ammonia oxidation , 2016 .

[11]  B. Liao,et al.  Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactors for Thermomechanical Pulping Pressate Treatment , 2016 .

[12]  C. Du,et al.  Pilot-Scale Study of an Integrated Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactor System on Urban River Remediation , 2016 .

[13]  P. Stewart,et al.  Reaction–diffusion theory explains hypoxia and heterogeneous growth within microbial biofilms associated with chronic infections , 2016, npj Biofilms and Microbiomes.

[14]  F. Xiao,et al.  Determining the optimal transmembrane gas pressure for nitrification in membrane-aerated biofilm reactors based on oxygen profile analysis , 2016, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[15]  Zhen He,et al.  Nitrogen removal by granular nitritation-anammox in an upflow membrane-aerated biofilm reactor. , 2016, Water research.

[16]  Peng Li,et al.  The treatment of surface water with enhanced membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) , 2016 .

[17]  Baoan Li,et al.  Process Performance and Bacterial Community Structure Under Increasing Influent Disturbances in a Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactor. , 2016, Journal of microbiology and biotechnology.

[18]  J. Peeters,et al.  Innovative Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactor Pilot Test to Achieve Low-energy Nutrient Removal at the Chicago MWRD , 2016 .

[19]  Stephanie Thalberg,et al.  Wastewater Engineering Treatment Disposal And Reuse , 2016 .

[20]  Yue Zhang,et al.  Evaluation of the impact of organic material on the anaerobic methane and ammonium removal in a membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) based on the multispecies biofilm modeling , 2016, Environmental Science and Pollution Research.

[21]  O. Monroy,et al.  Hydrodynamic study of a novel membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR): Tracer experiments and CFD simulation , 2015 .

[22]  Xueming Chen,et al.  Biodegradation of pharmaceuticals in membrane aerated biofilm reactor for autotrophic nitrogen removal: A model-based evaluation , 2015 .

[23]  Giorgio Bertanza,et al.  Treatment of sewage sludge in a thermophilic membrane reactor (TMR) with alternate aeration cycles. , 2015, Journal of environmental management.

[24]  Peng Li,et al.  Treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater for reuse by coupled membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) system , 2015 .

[25]  Michael J. Semmens,et al.  Performance analysis of a pilot-scale membrane aerated biofilm reactor for the treatment of landfill leachate , 2015 .

[26]  Panyue Zhang,et al.  Nitrogen removal performances of a polyvinylidene fluoride membrane-aerated biofilm reactor , 2015 .

[27]  John W. Shanahan,et al.  Alkalinity and pH effects on nitrification in a membrane aerated bioreactor: an experimental and model analysis. , 2015, Water research.

[28]  Yunge Zhang,et al.  Oil-field wastewater treatment by hybrid membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) system , 2015 .

[29]  Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis,et al.  Sewage Treatment Plants: Economic Evaluation of Innovative Technologies for Energy Efficiency , 2015 .

[30]  Jing Zhang,et al.  [Effect of Membrane Wettability on Membrane Fouling and Chemical Durability of SPG Membranes]. , 2014, Huan jing ke xue= Huanjing kexue.

[31]  R. Shechter.  Energy Efficiency and Performance of a Full Scale Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor , 2015 .

[32]  E. Chatzisymeon,et al.  Sewage Treatment Plants: Economic Evaluation of Innovative Technologies for Energy Efficiency , 2015 .

[33]  J. C. Mierzwa,et al.  Comparison between a conventional membrane bioreactor (C-MBR) and a biofilm membrane bioreactor (BF-MBR) for domestic wastewater treatment , 2014 .

[34]  Jixiang Li,et al.  The Effect of Salinity on Membrane Fouling Characteristics in an Intermittently Aerated Membrane Bioreactor , 2014 .

[35]  B. Liao,et al.  A comparative study on thermomechanical pulping pressate treatment using thermophilic and mesophilic sequencing batch reactors , 2014, Environmental technology.

[36]  S. Sørensen,et al.  Sequentially aerated membrane biofilm reactors for autotrophic nitrogen removal: microbial community composition and dynamics , 2013, Microbial biotechnology.

[37]  Jiujun Zhang,et al.  Oxygen Solubility, Diffusion Coefficient, and Solution Viscosity , 2014 .

[38]  Stuart J. Khan,et al.  Effects of caustic cleaning on pore size of nanofiltration membranes and their rejection of trace organic chemicals , 2013 .

[39]  Yihe Zhang,et al.  Treatment of heavy oil wastewater by a conventional activated sludge process coupled with an immobilized biological filter , 2013 .

[40]  Shi-chang Wang,et al.  Surface modification of PVDF hollow fiber membrane and its application in membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR). , 2013, Bioresource technology.

[41]  L. Vafajoo,et al.  Model-based evaluations of operating parameters on CANON process in a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor , 2013 .

[42]  R. Lebrero,et al.  A membrane bioreactor for the simultaneous treatment of acetone, toluene, limonene and hexane at trace level concentrations. , 2013, Water research.

[43]  S. Bhatia,et al.  Diffusion in Pore Networks: Effective Self-Diffusivity and the Concept of Tortuosity , 2013 .

[44]  B. Smets,et al.  Autotrophic Nitrogen Removal in a Membrane-Aerated Biofilm Reactor Under Continuous Aeration: A Demonstration , 2013 .

[45]  Hongde Zhou,et al.  Removal of tetrabromobisphenol A by conventional activated sludge, submerged membrane and membrane aerated biofilm reactors. , 2012, Chemosphere.

[46]  Song Zhao,et al.  COD and nitrogen removal in facilitated transfer membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (FT-MABR) , 2012 .

[47]  Camelia Ungureanu,et al.  STUDY OF DOUBLE-SUBSTRATE LIMITED GROWTH OF PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA IN AEROBIC BIOPROCESS , 2012 .

[48]  E. Casey,et al.  Performance of a Pilot Scale Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor for the Treatment of Landfill Leachate , 2012 .

[49]  F. J. Álvarez-Hornos,et al.  Removal of ethyl acetate, n‐hexane and toluene from waste air in a membrane bioreactor under continuous and intermittent feeding conditions , 2012 .

[50]  C. Visvanathan,et al.  Effect of organic loading rate on VFA production, organic matter removal and microbial activity of a two-stage thermophilic anaerobic membrane bioreactor. , 2011, Bioresource technology.

[51]  Zhiyi Li,et al.  Cometabolic degradation of trichloroethylene in a hollow fiber membrane reactor with toluene as a su , 2011 .

[52]  J. Gibson,et al.  Pilot Scale Testing of A New Configuration of The Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) to Treat High‐Strength Industrial Sewage , 2011, Water environment research : a research publication of the Water Environment Federation.

[53]  J. Dewulf,et al.  Gaseous dimethyl sulphide removal in a membrane biofilm reactor: effect of methanol on reactor performance. , 2010, Bioresource technology.

[54]  B. Smets,et al.  Inoculum effects on community composition and nitritation performance of autotrophic nitrifying biofilm reactors with counter-diffusion geometry. , 2010, Environmental microbiology.

[55]  B. Liao,et al.  Treatment of synthetic kraft evaporator condensate using thermophilic and mesophilic membrane aerated biofilm reactors. , 2010, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[56]  Fenglin Yang,et al.  Effect of substrate COD/N ratio on performance and microbial community structure of a membrane aerated biofilm reactor. , 2010, Journal of environmental sciences.

[57]  Ammonia Removal Options for High Purity Oxygen Activated Sludge Systems: a Literature Review Prepared For: Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District Prepared By: Office of Water Programs , 2010 .

[58]  D. Stuckey,et al.  Effect of perchloroethylene (PCE) and hydraulic shock loads on a membrane‐aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) biodegrading PCE , 2009 .

[59]  Hongjie Wang,et al.  Effect of DO on simultaneous removal of carbon and nitrogen by a membrane aeration/filtration combined bioreactor , 2009 .

[60]  E. Casey,et al.  Studies on the effect of concentration of a self-inhibitory substrate on biofilm reaction rate under co-diffusion and counter-diffusion configurations , 2009 .

[61]  Dongyan Xu,et al.  Membrane‐Aerated Biofilm Reactor Behaviors for the Treatment of High‐Strength Ammonium Industrial Wastewater , 2009 .

[62]  H. Volschenk,et al.  Oxygen mass transfer for an immobilised biofilm of Phanerochaete chrysosporium in a membrane gradostat reactor , 2008 .

[63]  David P. Wilkinson,et al.  Electrocatalytic activity and stability of substituted iron phthalocyanines towards oxygen reduction evaluated at different temperatures , 2008 .

[64]  R. Nerenberg,et al.  Effect of bulk liquid BOD concentration on activity and microbial community structure of a nitrifying, membrane-aerated biofilm , 2008, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[65]  R. Nerenberg,et al.  Total nitrogen removal in a hybrid, membrane-aerated activated sludge process. , 2008, Water research.

[66]  J. Dewulf,et al.  Continuous operation of membrane bioreactor treating toluene vapors by Burkholderia vietnamiensis G4 , 2008 .

[67]  Jun-xin Liu,et al.  Distribution and composition of extracellular polymeric substances in membrane-aerated biofilm. , 2008, Journal of biotechnology.

[68]  E. Casey,et al.  Model‐based comparative performance analysis of membrane aerated biofilm reactor configurations , 2008, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[69]  Thomas Scheper,et al.  Development of a Novel Membrane Aerated Hollow‐Fiber Microbioreactor , 2008, Biotechnology progress.

[70]  Eoin Casey,et al.  Membrane-aerated biofilms for high rate biotreatment: performance appraisal, engineering principles, scale-up, and development requirements. , 2008, Environmental science & technology.

[71]  Susanne Lackner,et al.  Heterotrophic activity compromises autotrophic nitrogen removal in membrane-aerated biofilms: results of a modeling study. , 2008, Water research.

[72]  Fenglin Yang,et al.  Simultaneous removal of COD and nitrogen using a novel carbon-membrane aerated biofilm reactor. , 2008, Journal of Environmental Science.

[73]  T. LaPara,et al.  Biological treatment of a synthetic space mission wastewater using a membrane-aerated, membrane-coupled bioreactor (M2BR) , 2008, Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology.

[74]  H. Langenhove,et al.  Removal of dimethyl sulfide in a thermophilic membrane bioreactor , 2008 .

[75]  Shinya Matsumoto,et al.  Modeling of membrane-aerated biofilm: Effects of C/N ratio, biofilm thickness and surface loading of oxygen on feasibility of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification , 2007 .

[76]  Fenglin Yang,et al.  Feasibility of a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor to achieve single-stage autotrophic nitrogen removal based on Anammox. , 2007, Chemosphere.

[77]  S. Tseng,et al.  Partial nitrification of ammonium-rich wastewater as pretreatment for anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) using membrane aeration bioreactor. , 2007, Journal of bioscience and bioengineering.

[78]  Eric S. McLamore,et al.  Abiotic transport in a membrane aerated bioreactor , 2007 .

[79]  B. Liao,et al.  A comparative study between thermophilic and mesophilic membrane aerated biofilm reactors , 2007 .

[80]  K. Ahn,et al.  Effects of sludge retention time on membrane fouling and microbial community structure in a membrane bioreactor , 2007 .

[81]  C. W. Randall,et al.  UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF AEROBIC MIXING, BIOFILM THICKNESS CONTROL AND MODELING ON THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF IFAS SYSTEMS FOR BIOLOGICAL NUTRIENT REMOVAL , 2007 .

[82]  E. Casey,et al.  Simulation studies of process scale membrane aerated biofilm reactor configurations , 2007 .

[83]  S. Nunes,et al.  Gas Separation with Membranes , 2006 .

[84]  V. Voller,et al.  Advective flow through membrane-aerated biofilms Modeling results , 2006 .

[85]  John W. Shanahan,et al.  Multipopulation model of membrane-aerated biofilms. , 2004, Environmental science & technology.

[86]  M. Semmens,et al.  Oxygen transfer characteristics of hollow-fiber, composite membranes , 2004 .

[87]  L. Melo,et al.  A technique using a membrane flow cell to determine average mass transfer coefficients and tortuosity factors in biofilms. , 2003, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[88]  C. Nakatsu,et al.  Phylogenetic Analysis of Bacterial Communities in Mesophilic and Thermophilic Bioreactors Treating Pharmaceutical Wastewater , 2000, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[89]  P. Pavasant,et al.  Substrate counterdiffusion and reaction in membrane-attached biofilms : mathematical analysis of rate limiting mechanisms , 2000 .

[90]  V. Voller,et al.  Modeling biofilms on gas-permeable supports : Concentration and activity profiles , 2000 .

[91]  T. Merkel,et al.  Gas sorption, diffusion, and permeation in poly(dimethylsiloxane) , 2000 .

[92]  B. Glennon,et al.  Review of membrane aerated biofilm reactors , 1999 .

[93]  James E. Alleman,et al.  Thermophilic aerobic biological wastewater treatment , 1999 .

[94]  B. Glennon,et al.  Oxygen mass transfer characteristics in a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor. , 1999, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[95]  M. W. Reij,et al.  Membrane bioreactors for waste gas treatment. , 1998 .

[96]  T. LaPara,et al.  Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Waste Treatment Systems: A State-of-the-Art Review , 1997 .

[97]  Alexander J. Smits,et al.  Turbulent Shear Layers in Supersonic Flow , 1996 .

[98]  Tian C. Zhang,et al.  Density, porosity, and pore structure of biofilms , 1994 .

[99]  P. Reichert,et al.  Modelling the spatial distribution and dynamics of a xylene-degrading microbial population in a membrane-bound biofilm , 1994 .

[100]  Shiyu Li,et al.  MODELING THE ORGANIC REMOVAL AND OXYGEN CONSUMPTION BY BIOFILMS IN AN OPEN-CHANNEL FLOW , 1994 .

[101]  Bruce E. Rittmann,et al.  Advanced Modeling of Mixed Populations of Heterotrophs and Nitrifiers Considering the Formation and Exchange of Soluble Microbial Products , 1992 .

[102]  Guanghao Chen,et al.  Modelling of the Simultaneous Removal of Organic Substances and Nitrogen in a Biofilm , 1989 .

[103]  B. Rittmann,et al.  Comparative performance of biofilm reactor types , 1982, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[104]  J. Bertin.  Engineering fluid mechanics , 1984 .

[105]  W. L. Robb,et al.  THIN SILICONE MEMBRANES‐THEIR PERMEATION PROPERTIES AND SOME APPLICATIONS , 1968, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.