Role and Efficiency of MBR Technology for Wastewater Treatment

Abstract

The main objective of the operation of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is to ensure effluent quality by meeting the parameter values determined by relevant legislation. In last decades, as application and improvement of performances of membranes grows, they are being used more often in wider range of the wastewater treatment process. The Membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology is applied in industrial wastewater treatment, leachate treatment and also for domestic wastewater treatment. In general, still major constraints for wider application of the MBR technology are significant operating costs and replacement of membrane cartridges. This approach is usually considered to be applied in the countries with low or medium income. Although the membrane technologies for wastewater treatmesnt are still not widely used in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the MBR technology has been selected for wastewater treatment of town Konjic, located in the south part of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Analyse of chosen technology, role and efficiency of the MBR technology, are based on full-scale experience. The MBR plant was designed and constructed in 2014. The experimental results of the plant operation has confirmed the viable long-term operation of membrane bioreactor for domestic wastewater treatment. A special emphasis was given to the role of pre-treatment. As an effluent of primary treatment contains less suspended solids and organic compounds than raw wastewater, operation of an MBR should be more efficient, reducing the overall water treatment costs. Technical details of the MBR Konjic, biotreatment and filtration, including design data and legal requirements, operation results are presented in this paper.