ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Lab-scale testing of a low-loaded activated sludge process with membrane filtration

Zuzana Jakubčová, Petr Hlavínek, Miloslav Drtil, and Igor Bodík

Institute of Municipal Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Žižkova 17, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic

E-mail: jakubcova.z@fce.vutbr.cz

Received: 28 March 2008  Revised: 8 July 2008  Accepted: 15 July 2008

Abstract: Two membrane bioreactors (MBRs; volume = 300 L) equipped with different types of immersed membrane modules were operated simultaneously under the same laboratory conditions as a low-loaded activated sludge process without any membrane regeneration and excess sludge uptake (sludge retention time SRT up to 170 d; activated sludge concentration MLSS up to 11 g L⁻¹). The aim was to verify the quality of treated water and to study the properties of "very old" activated sludge. Another aim was to compare different selected membrane types and choose the best one for further pilot-scale testing.

Keywords: activated sludge activity - biomass growth - sludge retention time - membrane bioreactor - membrane fouling - sludge settling ability

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-008-0094-z

Chemical Papers 63 (2) 140–145 (2009)