TITLE:
New Configurations and Techniques for Controlling Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Fouling
AUTHORS:
Djamel Ghernaout
KEYWORDS:
Membrane Bioreactor (MBR), Membrane Fouling, Quorum Quenching (QQ), Quorum Sensing (QS), Activated Sludge (AS), Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPSs)
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.7 No.7,
July
28,
2020
ABSTRACT: At the worldwide level, with numerous full-scale plants dealing with urban and industrial wastewater, the membrane bioreactor (MBR) process is viewed as a fully developed technique. Nevertheless, membrane fouling constitutes a critical barrier in the larger diffusion of MBR application. This work aims to discuss the new research and development progresses in the MBR technology in terms of fouling mitigation. New arrangements are examined to enhance the comprehension of the latest achievements in MBRs. Employed for biological fouling control, the quorum quenching technique is briefly introduced. As clean methods used for coping with membrane fouling, the ultrasonic technique and the surface grafting methods are also suggested. Several ameliorations focused on the module arrangement, aeration procedures, control setups, surface amendments, low-energy membrane cleaning techniques, or new fouling mitigation procedures, for instance, mechanical cleaning with granular medium, membrane vibration, or electric field. Between such ameliorations, hybrid setups, merging MBR with different techniques, employing prospects of the diverse methods to get the better of regular limitations of the MBRs are the most convenient. Nonetheless, implementing such novel fouling alleviation procedures for large scale MBRs needs more study. Sustainable control of membrane fouling necessitates utilizing more than one single strategy. Even with unceasing enhancements and expansions, fouling control features remain to be fully met.