A SUBMERGED ATTACHED GROWTH BIOREACTOR AND MEMBRANE FILTRATION FOR WATER REUSE

This paper discusses the integration of a submerged attached growth bioreactor (SAGB) with hollow fiber membrane microfiltration (MF) to meet the reuse requirements for a small onsite wastewater treatment plant. The use of a SAGB for biological nitrogen removal provides a system with a small foot print which is due to the ability of the system to operate with high concentrations of biomass. In addition, the Amphidrome® SAGB is constructed in concrete tanks, all below grade. The biological nutrient removal (BNR) process, upstream of the microfiltration process, produces a high quality feed water to the MF unit. This allows for higher flux rates through the membrane unit and therefore, a reduced total membrane area requirement. The coupling of the two separate technologies provides an economical option for wastewater treatment plants subject to stringent effluent limits.