Investigations and simulation of a membrane bioreactor system for application in remote areas

The increasing demands for wastewater treatment and the establishment of new processes and systems necessitate applied research. Especially in the field of membrane technology new areas for wastewater treatment can be opened for implementation. Membrane bioreactors usually find their application field either for the treatment of high strength wastewater or where only little installation space is available. As there are only dissatisfying solutions for wastewater treatment on board ships, a highly efficient plant was invented. The combination of a bioreactor and ultrafiltration membranes is an encouraging possibility to overcome the requirements and gain permeate with low COD values. The result was a compact and modularised system with only little space required which was called Bio-Filt®. With this system there were obtained good experiences concerning the operation and the biological decomposition of wastewater. The simulation of the system gave good results, especially for the growth of the microorganisms in the bioreactor. Due to the variability of the system, the chance for the application with alternating loads and hydraulic demands is given. The new plant system complies with the requirements in such a way so that there was a noticeable step forward for environmental protection.