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A. A. COCCI, R. C. Landine, and S. R. Grant. ADI Systems Inc., 182 Main St., Unit 6, Salem, NH 03079 The membrane biological reactor (MBR) is a relatively new technology to North America for the treatment of industrial wastewaters. This technology has many advantages over conventional forms of waste treatment. The MBR is an activated sludge process that uses a membrane system to retain the biological solids within the system rather than using gravity or dissolved air flotation for solids separation. Typical mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentrations range from 10,000 to 10,000 mg/l, which is three to six times greater than in conventional systems. This higher concentration of MLSS results in a much smaller system. Other advantages include: 1. It is compact, with a very small footprint. 2. Less sludge is produced, based on increased solids retention time. 3. It is simple to operate, requiring significantly less operator attention and time. 4. Sludge can be wasted directly from the system at 1.5 to 2.0 percent solids (versus 0.5 to 1.0 percent from a conventional activated sludge system). 5. Disinfection requirements are reduced or eliminated. 6. It provides consistent superior effluent quality that has a very low BOD concentration (< 5 mg/l) and is virtually free of suspended solids. 7. Very low effluent nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) concentrations are achievable. 8. The effluent quality is suitable for recycle and reuse without further treatment. 9. It produces an effluent that is suitable for a reverse osmosis system, which may be required to remove dissolved solids (salts). The ADI-MBR utilizes Kubota flat-sheet membranes that have been used in over a thousand full-scale treatment systems, of which over three hundred are treating industrial wastes. Most of these applications are in Europe and the Far East. This technology is just catching on in North America. This paper will highlight several full-scale industrial treatment applications using membranes as well as the attributes of this technology and the Kubota membrane system.
Session 35, NEW PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGIES: Innovations in processing and functional ingredients
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