NOVEL MEMBRANE BIOREACTOR FOR SUSTAINABLE WASTEWATER TREATMENT

It is estimated that by 2032, $271 billion will be spent to update the existing wastewater treatment plants to accommodate population growth and meet more stringent effluent discharge requirement. As space is often limited, compact and efficient treatment systems are needed. In this project, we will develop, test, and study a novel membrane bioreactor to achieve compact, energy efficient and more environmentally sustainable wastewater treatment system. The conceptual design is to integrate membrane filtration and aerobic granular biomass that can realize simultaneous removal of organic, nitrogen and phosphorous components.