Investigation of the role of biopolymer clusters in MBR membrane fouling using flash freezing and environmental scanning electron microscopy

The technique that employs flash freezing and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) was utilised for detailed investigation of the fouling materials in a membrane bioreactor (MBR). The method involves the flash freezing of a wet sample in liquid nitrogen for 10 s to preserve its structure for direct ESEM observation with a high image resolution. ESEM images show that the sludge cake formed by simple filtration of the MBR bulk sludge has a highly porous, sponge-like structure with a fairly low resistance. However, the fouling layer attached to the membrane surface contains a thin gel layer under the main body of the sponge-like sludge cake, which is similar to that formed by filtration of a dispersion of biopolymer clusters (BPCs). It is apparent that BPCs tend to accumulate on the membrane surface, and the gel layer is largely responsible for the high filtration resistance of the cake layer on the fouled membranes.     

气-水联合反冲洗膜污染防治技术研究

采用气水联合反冲洗技术,考察了气水比(Qg/Ql)、反冲洗周期及其对膜污染的防治效果。结果表明,气水联合反冲洗较单独气或水反冲洗效果好;在过滤周期20min,反冲洗时间1min,气水比1.5时,气水联合反冲洗能够恢复膜通量到膜清水通量的80%以上。此法可大幅度清除沉积在膜表面的泥饼层,恢复膜通量,维持膜过滤性能的稳定,是一种较为有效的膜污染防治技术。     

机械清洗法对MBR膜泥饼层的影响

膜污染是制约MBR发展的瓶颈。考察投加ABS颗粒对MBR膜组件上膜泥饼层的影响,并设对照实验。结果表明,对照MBR膜通量下降速度快,膜污染严重,膜表面上累积厚厚的泥饼层,而在ABS MBR中膜通量下降速度则缓慢的多,且膜上泥饼层积累量则明显少于对照MBR;曝气量越大,颗粒运行的速度也越快,泥饼层被撞落量也越多;颗粒以碰撞角度为45°冲刷膜的情况下,泥饼层掉落效果明显增加;泥饼层包裹的膜丝根数越多,泥饼层的静摩擦力和保持泥饼层不被破坏的力也越大,泥饼层就越难被冲刷掉。SEM照片显示,ABS MBR的膜孔堵塞要严重于对照MBR,表面的褶皱要较对照MBR多。     

改性PES膜在MBR中膜阻力分析及膜污染机理研究

以聚醚砜(PES)、醋酸纤维素(CA)和纳米二氧化钛(TiO2)为膜材料,采用L-S相转化法制备共混改性PES膜。在24℃、0.2 MPa的操作条件下,制得的PES膜纯水通量为300 L/(m2.h)左右,CA改性PES膜为660 L/(m2.h)左右,TiO2改性PES膜为840 L/(m2.h)左右。通过膜生物反应器中膜阻力的测定,表明膜污染主要由浓差极化层及凝胶层引起的;通过活性污泥对膜污染机理的研究,判断出污泥的过滤过程基本符合沉积过滤定律。在MBR中运行时,改性PES膜稳定通量高于未改性膜,总阻力低于未改性膜;TiO2改性膜稳定通量高于CA改性膜,总阻力低于CA改性膜;通过扫描电镜分析,改性PES膜沉积层的厚度均比未改性膜薄,TiO2改性膜沉积层厚度小于CA改性膜,表明改性膜的抗污染性能提高了,TiO改性膜抗污染性能更优。     

Use of chemical coagulants to control fouling potential for wastewater membrane bioreactor processes.

Chemical coagulation with ferric chloride, alum, and an organic polymer were used to control the fouling potential of mixed liquors for submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) processes in treating municipal wastewater. Their filterability was evaluated using a submerged hollow fiber ultrafiltration apparatus operated in constant permeate flux mode. The collected transmembrane pressures over filtration time were used to calculate the membrane fouling rates. The results showed that coagulation pretreatment can reduce fouling rates when MBRs were operated above the critical flux. Even though coagulation with the organic polymer formed larger mixed liquor suspended solids particles and had shorter time-to-filtration than those with ferric chloride and alum, the filterability for membrane filtration were similar, indicating that the membrane fouling in MBR systems was mainly controlled by the concentration of smaller colloidal particles.     

好氧膜-生物反应器中微滤膜选择的实验研究

用扫描电镜表面观察和全自动压汞仪测定了2种亲水化改性PVDF微滤膜的平均孔径、孔隙率等基本性能参数。对2种膜的纯水通量,及其平板膜组件在好氧膜生物反应器内污染过程进行分析。结果显示,2种膜污染过程均呈现先缓慢后快速的"二阶段"趋势,第二阶段是膜污染的主导阶段。尽管平均孔径小、孔隙率高的膜本身阻力大、纯水通量低,但其污染速率较低,物理及化学清洗恢复率较高。膜孔径及孔隙率指标是影响其在MBR中运行的污染速率的主要因素,平均孔径小、孔隙率高的膜抗污染能力强。     

生物制剂对MBR中无纺布膜组件过滤性能的影响

研究了生物制剂对浸渍式膜生物反应器(submerged membrane bioreactor,SMBR)中聚丙烯无纺布(non-wov-en fabric,NWF)膜组件过滤性能的影响。结果表明,能减少膜组件表面附着污泥胞外聚合物(extra-cellular polymeric sub-stances,EPS)的含量及污泥的沉积,减缓膜通量的衰减速率和膜污染,无纺布膜组件的过滤性能得到明显改善,表现出一定的耐污染性。生物制剂能改善污泥的沉降性能,有效防止污泥膨胀;对MBR的COD去除率基本没有影响,但略微增大了处理水的浊度。     

投加ABS颗粒对MBR膜过滤特性的影响

向膜生物反应器(MBR)中投加ABS颗粒,以干扰膜表面泥饼层的形成和减轻膜污染的发生。结果表明,向MBR中投加粒径为1 mm的ABS颗粒,发现颗粒的最佳投加量为1.5 kg/m3,投加颗粒的膜运行时间是对照实验运行时间的3倍。颗粒对膜表面泥饼沉积层抑制明显,与对照实验泥饼层重量最大相差290 g,颗粒使膜上泥饼层的分布也不同。颗粒的投加也改变了污泥EPS含量,相比对照实验,多糖、蛋白质含量分别提高了17.2%和8%,污泥粘度提高了17.6%。细格栅与颗粒使MBR对TN、TP去除效果分别提高了8.5%和9.7%,对COD的影响不大。     

一体式膜-生物反应器中膜污染过程的动态分析

膜污染过程的动态研究对于有效地控制膜污染意义重大。结合膜过滤压差的上升和污染膜表面微观形态的变化 ,对不同污泥浓度和膜通量条件下 ,一体式膜 生物反应器中膜污染过程进行了动态分析。结果表明 ,膜污染初期主要是水中溶解性物质在膜表面附着 ,随后污泥在膜表面沉积。溶解性有机物在膜面的附着 ,对膜过滤压差即膜过滤阻力的变化影响不大 ,而活性污泥在膜表面的大量沉积将导致膜过滤压差迅速上升。污泥浓度愈高 ,膜通量愈大时 ,活性污泥颗粒愈易在膜面沉积。通过停止进出水维持空曝气、降低反应器内污泥浓度或延长膜的停抽时间可以使沉积在膜表面的悬浮污泥脱离膜表面 ,从而使膜过滤能力得到很好的恢复。采用经典的膜污染模型对各运行阶段膜污染模式进行了分析 ,模型拟合结果与电镜观察结果基本吻合。     

Performance investigation of membrane bioreactor systems during municipal wastewater reclamation.

Four commercially available membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems were operated at the pilot scale, to investigate performance during the reclamation of municipal wastewater. The MBR performance was evaluated under a variety of operating conditions, including two types of feed wastewater (raw and advanced primary effluent), hydraulic retention times (HRTs) ranging from 2 to 6 hours, and permeate fluxes between 20 and 41 lmh. Test results showed that MBR systems were capable of operating on advanced primary effluent, despite the possible presence of coagulant and/or polymer residual, with minimal membrane fouling. Membrane performance data generated during this study was also used to quantify the relationship between permeate flux and membrane fouling. Cleaning intervals at various flux conditions were estimated as follows: 69 days at 20 lmh, 58 days at 25 lmh, and 30 days for operation between 31 and 41 lmh. It was also demonstrated that the MBR process could be optimized to operate with minimal fouling under high hydraulic (flux = 37 lmh) and organic loading (HRT = 2 hours and food-to-microorganism ratio = 0.33 g COD/g VSS x d) conditions. Water quality monitoring conducted throughout the study showed that each MBR system consistently produced an oxidized (5-day biochemical oxygen demand < 2 mg/L) and nitrified (ammonia < 1 mg-N/L) effluent low in particulate matter (turbidity < 0.1 NTU), under all conditions tested.     

陶瓷膜污染过程分析与膜清洗方法优化

采用膜孔径为50 nm的陶瓷膜错流过滤方式,对碱性高浓度有机洗涤废水进行9个周期的膜通量衰减及反向脉冲清洗再生实验研究.通过设计膜污染阻力构成实验,测算膜污染总阻力及其构成比例.实验结果表明,膜固有阻力比例较低,浓差极化污染较弱,Rt和Rc+Rirt污染阻力稳定性较高,膜堵塞形式兼有孔内堵塞和滤饼过滤;选择质量分数0.1％的稀盐酸和0.2％的草酸溶液膜清洗效果均较好,清洗时间为3 min,脉冲时间和频率为3 s/5 s.     

钙离子对短期膜污染的影响

以处理生活污水的平板膜-生物反应器为依托,通过将进水调配成30、200和500 mg/L 3种不同的钙离子浓度,考察钙离子对短期膜污染的影响。结果表明,随着钙离子浓度的增加,TMP增长趋势变小,膜污染得到缓解;钙离子浓度为200 mg/L时,膜的渗透性最好,而过高的钙离子浓度并不利于降低膜污染。钙离子的投加强化了生物絮凝作用,可以降低SMP和LB-EPS的含量,主要通过降低外部阻力减缓膜污染;投加钙离子也可以增加絮体的大小,较大的絮体形成的泥饼有更好的过滤性,然而过高的钙离子浓度会使无机颗粒的量增加,造成平均粒径下降,将会加重内部污染,进而加剧膜污染。     

混凝剂品种对混凝-超滤联合工艺膜污染的影响

本实验以工业化学合成聚合硫酸铁混凝剂和自制生物聚合硫酸铁为例,考察了铁系混凝剂品种对地表水浊度、TOC和UV254的去除效果,混凝剂品种对混凝-超滤联合工艺处理地表水过程中超滤膜污染的影响。混凝实验结果表明,在10 mg/L(以Fe3+计)最佳投加量下,两类混凝剂对浊度、TOC和UV254的去除率基本相同。超滤膜污染实验结果表明,生物聚合铁预处理水样通量衰减速度略大于化学聚合铁预处理水样;膜污染阻力分析结果显示,随着循环次数的增加,工业化学合成聚合铁预处理水样造成的不可逆污染阻力逐渐增加,而生物聚合铁预处理水样造成的不可逆污染阻力却略有下降;膜污染机理分析表明,2组过滤过程的膜污染类型基本相似,由最初的膜孔堵塞过渡到最终的滤饼层污染。SEM分析表明,生物聚合铁预处理水样的膜污染较为严重。     

絮体性质对纳滤膜污染的影响

混凝过程产生的絮体会对后续膜过滤性能产生一定的影响。实验中利用激光粒度仪研究2种混凝剂(AlCl3和PAC)在不同投加量下的絮体性质,混凝出水(不经过沉淀)直接进入纳滤膜(NF270)装置进行过滤实验。研究表明,投加量低(<0.20 mmol/L)的情况下,混凝出水反而使纳滤通量衰减发生恶化,随着投加量的增加,纳滤膜通量衰减得到有效的减缓。直接过滤腐殖酸(HA)的膜通量衰减(J/J0)为0.65,投加量为0.50 mmol/L时,AlCl3和PAC 2种混凝剂产生的通量衰减(J/J0)分别为0.78和0.75。滤饼层阻力受到絮体尺寸的影响较大,絮体尺寸越大,形成的滤饼层透水性更好。通过污染模型分析,混凝出水的纳滤膜污染机理主要是滤饼层阻力。     

Electrocoagulation-integrated hybrid membrane processes for the treatment of tannery wastewater

Three different combinations of treatment techniques, i.e. electrocoagulation combined with microfiltration (EMR), membrane bioreactor (MBR) and electrocoagulation integrated with membrane bioreactor (hybrid MBR, (HMBR)), were analysed and compared for the treatment of tannery wastewater operated for 7 days under the constant trans-membrane pressure of 5 kPa. HMBR was found to be most suitable in performance as well as fouling reduction, with 94 % of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, 100 % chromium removal and 8 % improvement in percentage reduction in permeate flux compared to MBR with only 90 % COD removal and 67 % chromium removal. The effect of mixed liquor suspended solids on fouling was also investigated and was found to be insignificant. EMR was capable of elevating the flux but was not as efficient as HMBR and MBR in COD removal. Fouling reduction by HMBR was further confirmed by SEM-EDX and particle size analysis.     

A modeling study of fouling development in membrane bioreactors for wastewater treatment.

Membrane fouling is a primary concern in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) in wastewater treatment because it strongly affects both system stability and economic feasibility. A mathematical model was developed in this study for membrane fouling in submerged MBR systems for wastewater treatment, in which both reversible and irreversible fouling were quantified. While mixed liquor suspended solids are the major components of the reversible fouling layer, dissolved organic matter is thought to be the key foulant, in particular, responsible for the long-term irreversible fouling of the filtration unit. The model was calibrated (parameter identification) with a set of operational data from a pilot MBR and then verified with other independent operational data from the MBR. The good agreement between theoretical predictions and operational data demonstrates that the outlined modeling concept can be successfully applied to describe membrane fouling in submerged MBR systems.     

膜生物反应器次临界通量运行的膜污染特性研究

膜生物反应器（MBR）是将膜分离与生物反应相结合的污水处理新工艺,近年来已引起广泛的关注,但不可避免的膜污染限制其更广泛的应用。临界通量在膜污染控制中是个非常重要的概念。本试验研究平板膜生物反应器在次临界通量运行下的膜污染状况,并结合膜污染模型进一步表征膜表面的污染特性。试验结果表明。该平板膜生物反应器在次临界通量运行的情况下,膜污染可分为膜污染缓慢发展阶段（第Ⅰ阶段）和膜污染迅速发展阶段（第Ⅱ阶段）,可分别用膜孔堵塞模型和泥饼阻力模型表征膜阻力与时间的变化关系。同时,对运行后的膜阻力分布进行分析,表明泥饼阻力和孔道吸附堵塞阻力是膜污染的主要组成部分,分别占到总阻力的73％和24％,而膜本身阻力仅占3％。     

膜生物反应器生物降解与膜分离共作用特性研究

膜生物反应器实质是生物降解与膜分离相互影响,共同作用的过程,污泥浓度与通量之间存在一定的相关关系,膜分离对生和性能尤其是细菌活性有着重要的影响,而生物反应器内细菌胞外聚合物,溶解性有机物及微细胶体可能成为形成凝胶层导致通量下降的主要因素。     

膜生物反应器处理微污染水源水的研究与应用现状

膜生物反应器及其组合工艺能实现水源水中微污染物的有效去除,是一种新型高效水处理工艺.总结了膜生物反应器处理微污染水源水的研究与应用现状、污染物去除效果和机制;在分析膜污染机制基础上归纳了膜污染控制和污染膜清洗方式,展望了膜生物反应器在给水领域应用需克服解决的技术难点.     

附着性胞外多聚物对HMBR膜污染控制性能的影响

采用复合式膜生物反应器（HMBR）处理城市生活污水,对附着性胞外多聚物影响HMBR膜污染控制性能的作用机理进行了研究。实验结果表明,HMBR中附着性胞外多聚物、松散附着性胞外多聚物和紧密附着性胞外多聚物的浓度比常规膜生物反应器分别降低了10．0％、43．6％和2．1％。附着性胞外多聚物与膜表面滤饼层污泥比阻的关系较为密切,随着其浓度逐渐降低,滤饼层污泥比阻相应减小。与紧密附着性胞外多聚物相比,松散附着性胞外多聚物对滤饼层污泥比阻的影响程度更深。因此,随着反应器中附着性胞外多聚物特别是松散附着性胞外多聚物浓度的降低,HMBR的膜污染控制性能增强,反应器中膜表面的滤饼层阻力比常规膜生物反应器降低了56．9％。