Double Membion – Membrane Bioreactor with Double-Deck Hollow Fiber Membranes

Membrane bioreactors, MBR for short, are biological wastewater treatment plants with immersed membrane filters, which are designed as hollow fiber or as flat sheet modules. Advantages of this technology are an improved water quality and a smaller footprint compared to conventional wastewater treatment plants. Currently, however, the total costs of the technology are often higher than those of conventional plants.

Aim of the project is to investigate a novel hollow fiber membrane module which combines the advantages of hollow fiber modules (compactness, low air and energy demand) with the advantages of flat sheet modules (lower requirements on wastewater pretreatment) in a double-deck system with a novel configuration: Two module units will be installed one above the other with only one common aeration system underneath. The double-deck system is known from flat sheet modules and has the advantages of reducing energy demand and space requirements.

The design of the existing module geometry will first be adapted and optimized to the double-deck configuration based on investigations of the hydrodynamic flow conditions in a pilot plant. Subsequently, the membrane modules built in one train of an existing full-scale MBR plant of the Wasserverband Eifel Rur, WVER for short, will be replaced by novel Membion double-deck hollow fiber modules. Simultaneously the operating parameters of the pilot plant (air supply, TS-content, chemical cleaning, etc.) will be optimized and transferred to the operation of the full-scale plant.

The project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, BMBF for short, as part of the KMU-innovativ programme, aims at further developing MBR technology and further increasing the performance and effectiveness of the process to make the technology economically attractive for more wastewater treatment plants. The aim of the project partners - Membion GmbH, WVER and ISA of RWTH Aachen University - is to make a contribution to save resources and energy while improving the quality of water resources.