Recover energy from domestic wastewater using anaerobic membrane bioreactor: Operating parameters optimization and energy balance analysis

Xiaojie Mei, Zhiwei Wang, Yan Miao and Zhichao Wu

Energy, 2016, vol. 98, issue C, 146-154

Abstract: Anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) is a promising process to recover energy and water resource from domestic wastewater; however, its energy-efficiency needs substantial improvement for real applications. In this study, based on the methanogenic activity batch tests and critical flux determination, an optimization protocol for AnMBRs is reported and a flux-centered energy balance analysis is conducted. The results demonstrate that organic loading rate by sludge (OLRsludge) should be controlled within 0.43–0.90 kgCOD/(kgVSS·d), and the corresponding sludge retention time (SRT) should be in the range of 50 d to infinity. Energy balance analysis shows that the AnMBR systems at the temperature of 35 °C and 25 °C could achieve net energy recovery. For realizing energy-neutral operation, the corresponding fluxes should range from 8.3 to 9.5 L/(m2·h) at 35 °C and 6.0 to 6.7 L/(m2·h) at 25 °C, respectively. In the process design and operation, a relatively short hydraulic retention time (HRT) and an SRT close to 50 d should be considered in order to achieve an energy-efficient AnMBR performance.

Keywords: Methane production; Critical flux; Anaerobic membrane bioreactor; Domestic wastewater; Energy recovery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544216000219
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:98:y:2016:i:c:p:146-154

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2016.01.011

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().