Integrated anaerobic fluidized-bed membrane bioreactor for domestic wastewater treatment

An integrated anaerobic fluidized-bed membrane bioreactor (IAFMBR) system with granular activated carbon (GAC) as carrier was developed to treat domestic wastewater with energy recovery. We investigated a laboratory-scale IAFMBR with chemical oxygen demand (COD) of about 300mg/L at different hydraulic retention time (HRT). The removal of COD of 75.8%, 73.6% and 54.1% was achieved at respective HRT of 8, 6 and 4h, resulting in respective methane yield was 140, 180 and 190L CH₄(STP)/kgCOD_removed and conversion of 45.2%, 53.1% and 43.8% of COD into methane in biogas. The transmembrane pressure of membrane increased more rapidly at a shorter HRT than a longer HRT, suggesting that membrane fouling rate was accelerated at short HRTs. The amount of GAC added into the inner tube of IAFMBR controlled essentially the membrane fouling process. Supplementation of GAC reduced protein content in layer cake and helped membrane filtration.