Performance of a full-scale ceramic MBR systemto treat domestic sewage

Application of membrane technology for water reclamation has grown significantly in recent years due to reduced footprint size and more consistent product water quality. For a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system, it is critical for it to be robust to allow membrane systems to operate at higher flux without significant increase of transmembrane pressure (TMP). A full-scale ceramic MBR system was installed at Changi Water Reclamation Plant (CWRP) as part of an MBR retrofit project to increase treatment capacity without expanding the plant's footprint. The nominal capacity of the ceramic MBR system is 15,000 m(3)/d. The system has been successfully operating since January 2017 with a net flux of 30-60 L/m(2)-hr (LMH). Stable operation was observed at nominal production capacity for more than 3 months. During that period, the TMP was stable in the range of 9-14 kPa for Tank A and 10-17 kPa for Tank B. Permeate turbidity was recorded in the range of 0.04-0.06 NTU for both Tank A and Tank B.