MBR-20: Operational control of decentralised, small-scale MBR systems
BUT |
07/2009 - 12/2009 |
Decentralised systems for wastewater treatment of remote or difficult to connect settlements are gaining further importance in efforts to reduce local pollution of surface and groundwater bodies.
The MBR-8 and MBR-14 projects have successfully followed up this pioneer work on a household MBR in the Czech Republic. Yet, based on the lessons learned, there is further potential to optimize the flux of treated water and to prolong the maintenance free operation period.
The project will build on the previous work in MBR-TRAIN to realise further process optimisations at the household MBR in Olsany after its refurbishment. The project shall verify the effects of a new membrane module and the increased retention volume in the activation tank. Next to this continuation of work, the project will assure the scientific surveillance of the start-up of the containerised system. The project will allow the fellow to plunge into the application of technology in full-scale and complement ongoing PhD research on this topic. A crucial task will be the benchmarking of small and domestic wastewater treatment plants with regard to their operational costs, energy consumption and quality of treated effluent. By that, specific advantages or disadvantages of individualised and containerised system may be elaborated. A final goal would be to derive recommendation for design and full scale operation of those systems.
The fellow will have to familiarise itself with the state-of-the-art of small application of membrane bioreactors through a literature survey. The practical work will focus on the close monitoring and control of all relevant operational and performance parameters. This will include influent and effluent sampling as well as observation of the membrane filtration process.