Performance evaluation of membrane bioreactor for treating industrial wastewater: A case study in Isfahan Mourchekhurt industrial estate

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system for optimization effluent quality by feeding of the influent (raw wastewater and anaerobic reactor effluent) in Isfahan - Mourchekurt Industrial Estate Centralized Wastewater Treatment Plant. Materials and Methods: The MBR was equipped with two flat sheets membrane with 0.2 μm pore size, were operated in parallel style and feed simultaneously with raw industrial wastewater (MBR1) and anaerobic reactor effluent (MBR2). The average organic loading rates in two reactors were 1.37 and 0.52 (kg chemical oxygen demand [COD]/m 3 .day), respectively. All analyses were implemented according to the standard methods procedure. Results: The average concentration of COD was lower than 100 mg/L and 50 mg/L in both reactor effluent, respectively, and it was 1000 MPN/100 mL for MBR1 and these were <1000 MPN/100 mL for MBR2. During the operation flux reduction in MBR1 was more than MBR2. Conclusion: The MBR technology was used to treat the combined industrial wastewater was efficient, and its effluent can be perfectly used for water reuse. The MBR performance was improved by applying an anaerobic pretreatment unit.

Keywords

• Combined industrial wastewater
• membrane bioreactor
• raw wastewater
• reuse