Effects of operational parameters on aeration on/off time in an intermittent aeration membrane bioreactor

This study was performed to evaluate the operational parameters on aeration on/off time in an intermittent aeration membrane bioreactor for wastewater treatment. The membrane bioreactor has 5.5 L of effective working volume including a microfiber membrane. The influent wastewater contained 133 mg/L of BOD, 195 mg/L COD, 98 mg/L SS, 30 mg/L total nitrogen, and 3.8 mg/L total phosphorous. Operational conditions related to aeration on/off time were 8.8 h HRT, 10 LMH flux, 10 L/min air flow, and 6300 mg/L MLSS. For 2 h/cycle, aeration on/off time was operated for 12 cycles in three variations: 60/60 min, 50/70 min (1), and 40/80 min. Suction on/off time was 1012 min, 8/2 min, and 8/2 min, respectively, but also 50/70 min (11) when aeration on/off time was operated at 8300 mg/L MLSS. The BOD removal efficiency rate of this process was higher than 97% regardless of the aeration on/off time distribution. To get higher than 82% total nitrogen removal efficiency rate, aeration off time in the reactor needs to be more than 70 min. The specific denitrification rate was 2.68 mgNO(3)-N/gMv/h at 40/80 min on/off aeration times, which was 2.6 times more than at 60/60 min, and 1.4 times more than at 50/70 min (1) for 6300 mg/L MLSS. The specific nitrification rate was 1.96 mgNH(4)-N/gMv/h at on/off aeration times of 50/70 min, 1.4 times less than at 40/80 min, but was ineffective for nitrification. Microbial activity was affected only a little by variation in aeration on/off time, though oxygen demand was reduced by aeration off time and allowed microbial concentration to increased. EPS (extracellular polymeric substance) per unit of microorganisms increased with aeration off time.