Membrane BioReactor for wastewater treatment.

The association of a MF or UF step with a bioreactor enables to increase by a significant way the biomass concentration inside the reactor and by this way, to reduce the volumes and to reach a water quality much higher than those obtained with conventional biological treatment processes (specifically in terms of disinfection).

The limiting points remain:

1. the optimization of cellular activity
2. the control of micro-pollutants removal
3. the intensification of transfers and / or membrane selectivity
4. the valorization of by-products.

From an economical point of vue, the following points have also to be taken into account:

1. the power consumption (for aeration),
2. the configuration of new membrane systems and bioreactors.

These objectives are those of a project in progress in the department, which is coordinator of the ANR project Ecotech international CREATIVERU (4 french partners, UM2, INSAT, INRA, Veolia Envt, and 4 academic Chinese partners, Péking, Tsingha, Tongji et Tianjin Universities).

Moreover, various international collaborations are developed on this topic (Australia, Thailand, Tunisie, Maroc…).

Coupling of a membrane separation with a biological process for wastewater treatment : the membrane bioreactor.

Contacts:

Alain GRASMICK, Marc HERAN, Geoffroy LESAGE