Testing and evaluation of anaerobic FO SMBR (partners: DHI+CSM+UMA+DTU)
In WP6, FO membranes from WP2 will be tested in a lab-scale (2-5 liter) anaerobic SMBR to be built at DTU and in larger systems at UMA and CSM. The purpose is to investigate energy/mass balances and long-term performance of membrane modules where both flat sheet cassettes and hollow fiber bundles will be evaluated. Results from WP6 will be fed back to WP2-4 for membrane optimization. Specifically WP6 will address the following issues:
-
what limits the HRT – biological catabolism or physical parameters such a flux?;
-
what is the optimal SRT to operate the FO-SMBR for minimal sludge production and maximized COD removal and how is this related to the type of wastewater (e.g. domestic versus industrial)?;
-
how methane can be used to sparge the FO membranes and how methane recovery can be maximized, in particular at lower reactor temperatures where methane water solubility is increased.
-
feasibility of FO-SMBR where seawater is used as draw solution resulting in methane production and brackish water effluent;
-
the feasibility of integrating the FO anaerobic SMBR system with recoverable draw solutions resulting in methane production and clean Water production. Focus will be on draw solutions based on polymer-based macro-solutes and recovery via temperature-induced cloud point initiation or lowering of the cloud point through addition of insoluble gases;
-
the level of pretreatment needed and how this will affect the overall technical and economic feasibility.