2.

Membrane Bioreactor
(MBR)

Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)

A combination of biological WWT (e.g. activated

sludge) and membrane filtration as a measure
for solid-liquid separation.

Copyright (c) 2012 Japan Sewage Works Agency All rights reserved.

Image of Membrane Filtration on MBR

Air bubbles
For washing

Filtrate

Stream of
bubble and
activated
sludge
Activated
sludge
Copyright (c) 2012 Japan Sewage Works Agency All rights reserved.

Membrane
3

Membrane and Removable Materials

MBR

Membrane

Sand
filtration

0.1~0.4m
Microfiltration (MF)
Ultrafiltration (UF)
Nanofirtration (NF)

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

Pore size

0 -4

0 -3

Ion

0 -2

0 -1

Organic matters

Allegra

Humic acid
Odor materials
Anion surfactant

Virus

Bacteria
Protozoa

Removable materials
Copyright (c) 2012 Japan Sewage Works Agency All rights reserved.

Membrane Type used for MBR

Flat sheet

Copyright (c) 2012 Japan Sewage Works Agency All rights reserved.

Hollow Fiber

Ceramic

Advantages of MBR over Conventional Activated

Sludge Process
-

Complete rejection of suspended solids.

Higher mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) (>8 g/L).
Smaller footprint (< 6hr for biological nutrient removal).
Smaller sludge production.
Simple monitoring parameters (e.g. transmembrane
pressure (TMP) ).
Fine screen

Conventional activated sludge process

Copyright (c) 2012 Japan Sewage Works Agency All rights reserved.

Membrane

MBR process
6

Various Evaluation of MBR technology

MBR is a core technology for simultaneous dissolving

current issues on sewage works in Japan and other
countries due to its excellent characteristics

Excellent and
stable effluent
quality
Bacteria free
effluent
Nitrogen and
phosphorus
removal
Small footprint

Disaster
recovery
Risk
reduction

Small-scale
plants

Overseas
deployment

Easy operation
Copyright (c) 2012 Japan Sewage Works Agency All rights reserved.

Large-scale
plants
Advanced
treatment

Retrofitting
Reclamation
of effluent
7

Developments of MBR in Japan Sewage Works

Agency
98

99

00

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

13

14

Pilot-scale studies
1st phase

2nd phase

3rd phase

4th phase

Basic
factors

Reduction of
operation costs

Large-scale
application

Application to combined
system and/or more
energy-saving

Technology evaluation of MBR

1st

2nd

2003.11

JS Design guideline of MBR

2003.4 2005.4
1st edition

Revised edition

Stared operation of the largest MBR

(Sanbou WWTP, 60,000m3/d)
2011.3

Stared operation of the first MBR

18
3
15
(Fukuzaki WWTP, 2,100m /d)
9 10 11
2005.3
6
3
1
Number of MBR in operation at the end of fiscal year
Copyright (c) 2012 Japan Sewage Works Agency All rights reserved.

Example of MBR Facilities in Japan

Fukuzaki
Fukuzaki WWTP
WWTP

3
-Present
-Presenttreatment
treatmentcapacity
capacity4,200m
4,200m3/d/d
3/d
entire
capacity
12,500m
entire capacity 12,500m3/d
-The
-Thefirst
firstMBR
MBRinstallation
installationfor
forJapanese
Japanese
sewage
sewageplant
plant

Sanbo
Sanbo WWTP
WWTP

3
-Treatment
-Treatmentcapacity60,000m
capacity60,000m3/d/d
-The
-Thelargest
largestMBR
MBRininJapan
Japan
-First
-Firstapplication
applicationtotoretrofitting
retrofittingofofexisting
existing
facility
facilityand
andcombined
combinedsewer
sewersystem
systeminin
Japan
Japan

Aeration tank
Primary Settling tank

Fine Screen

Copyright (c) 2012 Japan Sewage Works Agency All rights reserved.

Development of large-scale MBR on the 3rd

phase pilot-scale studies

A variety of system configuration was developed to fit to

restrictions of existing facilities and requirements of
upgrade.

Biological
treatment
process

Membrane
type

MBR
system

Hollow fiber

Submerged
A2O
Separate

A
Others
Combined with RO
for reclamation
B

Ceramic

External

A2O

Flat sheet

Submerged
UCT
Integrated

Gravity filtration
Large-size
membrane

Flat sheet

Submerged
UCT
Separate

Gravity filtration
NH4-N control
Combined with RO

Copyright (c) 2012 Japan Sewage Works Agency All rights reserved.

10

Process Flow of UCT-MBR Process

Syphon filtration system

Vertical axis mixer

Chemical dilution tank

Raw water or
Primary effluent
Anaerobic
Tank mixer

Auxiliary aeration
blower
Anoxic tank
mixer

Membrane air
scour blower

Chemical tank
Chemical

Syphon
filtration

PI

Permeate

Denitrified liquor Nitrified liquor

Airlift pump
Airlift pump
M

Membrane
unit

Excess
sludge

diffuser

Anaerobic tank
HRT=1hr

Anoxic tank
HRT=2hr

Excess sludge
pump

MLSS recirculation with airlift pump

Copyright (c) 2012 Japan Sewage Works Agency All rights reserved.

Aerobic tank
HRT=3.2hr

Large-size membrane unit

11

200
175
150
125
100
75
50
25
0

Influent
permeate

Design influent 120mg/L

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

influen
teffluent

Design effluent 3mg/L

6/1

7/1

8/1

9/1

10/1

11/1

12/1

1/1

2/1

3/3

Permeate BOD
mg/L

Biological Oxygen
Demand (BOD)

Influent BODmg/L

Treatment Efficiency in UCT-MBR Process

4/3

Total Nitrogen (T-N)

T-Nmg/L

40
Design influent 31.5mg/L

30

Influent
Permeate

20
Design effluent

10

7mg/L

0
6/1

7/1

8/1

9/1

10/1

11/1

12/1

1/1

2/1

3/3

4/3

Total Phosphorus (T-P)

T-Pmg/L

6
Design influent 4.25mg/L

Influent
Permeate

4
3
2

Design effluent 0.66mg/L

1
0
6/1

7/1

Copyright (c) 2012 Japan Sewage Works Agency All rights reserved.

8/1

9/1

10/1

11/1

12/1

1/1

2/1

3/3

4/3

12

Energy Saving Efficiency in UCT-MBR Process

Membrane cleaning
MLSS recirculation

Auxiliary aeration
Tank mixing

Permeate pump

0.91kWh/m3

ConvenMBR
tional MBR

47% reduction
UCT-MBR
MBR

large-size membrane unit

siphon filtration
airlift pump
vertical axis mixer

0.48kWh/m3

0.2
0.4
0.6
Trial calculation
of
kWh/m3
energy consumption

Copyright (c) 2012 Japan Sewage Works Agency All rights reserved.

0.8

13