Performance evaluation and substrate removal kinetics in an up-flow anaerobic hybrid membrane bioreactor treating simulated high-strength wastewater

ABSTRACT

The prime objective of the present study is to evaluate the performance of novel up-flow anaerobic hybrid membrane bioreactor (An-HMBR) treating high-strength wastewater (synthetic) using polyurethane foam as filter media. Treatment efficiency of the entire An-HMBR varied from 88–97% corresponding to 0.67–3.90 d of hydraulic retention time (HRT) with organic loading rate of 6.4–1.06 kg COD m⁻³ d⁻¹. The modified Stover–Kincannon model was the most appropriate model for An-HMBR and anaerobic hybrid bioreactor (excluding membrane). The suspended growth system in An-HMBR could be described by both modified Stover–Kincannon and Grau second order model. The attached growth system in An-HMBR followed conventional Monod’s kinetics. A novel combination of suspended, attached and membrane in single reactor increased the solid retention time to as high as 756 d at 3.9 d HRT which not only improved the COD removal efficiency but also enhanced the performance of the membrane.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Anaerobic hybrid membrane bioreactor
• polyurethane foam
• high-strength wastewater
• ceramic membrane
• substrate removal kinetics

Acknowledgement

The authors are thankful to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) for providing assistance for this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Ministry of Human Resource Development.