Use of Water Soluble Polymers to Prevent Membrane fouling in MBR

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Use of Water Soluble Polymers to Prevent Membrane
fouling in MBRs
Belgische Membraangroep 8 november
2007 Jeroen Koppes Email jkoppes_at_nalco.com Wate
r RD, Nalco Europe
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Nalco Company
1947Nalco goes public
1964Nalco shares listedon New York
StockExchange
2004Nalco initial public offering on New York
Stock Exchange
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Who We Are

• World leader in water treatment and industrial
  process services with more than 3.6 billion in
  sales
• Nalcos 11,000 employees work with more than
  60,000 customers in 130 countries in industry,
  government and institutions.

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Global presents
European Operations Leiden, The Netherlands
Global Headquarters Naperville, Illinois
Pacific RimSingapore

• RESEARCH CENTERS
• U.S.
• Netherlands
• Singapore

• Latin America Operations Sao Paulo, Brazil

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What We Provide
SERVICES
CHEMICALS

• Corrosion and scale inhibitors
• Biocides, bioengineering
• Coagulants, dispersants, flocculating agents
• Alkalizers, passivators,membrane improvers,
  sludge dewatering
• Defoamers, process lubricants, odor and

• On-site system auditing and start-up
• Product and equipment selection
• Program assurancemonitoring and testing
• Performance measurement
• Analytical/failure testing
• Equipment consulting
• Installation, maintenance repair
• Operator training certification

EQUIPMENT

• RO systems
• Chemical feed equipment
• Standard water treatment equipment

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Content

• What is an MBR and its fouling problems
• What is Membrane Performance Enhancer (MPE) ?
• Full scale Membrane Bioreactor Results
• MPE Toxicity
• Overview Capital and Investment savings
• Conclusions

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Conventional versus MBR
Conventional Activated Sludge
Wastewater
Aeration Tank Biomass 4 g/l
settler
Water with 10-30 ppm solids
Sludge recycle
Waste sludge
Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)
Aeration Tank Biomass 12 g/l
Wastewater
UF / MF Membrane
Reuse in Cooling tower or RO, water with 0 ppm
solids
Sludge recycle
Waste sludge
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Submerged MBR membrane modules
MBRs use Ultra (UF) or Micro filtration (MF)
Operation
Kubota Toray
Mitsubishi
Zenon Memcor
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Advantages MBR

• Save space, small footprint (2 3 x smaller)
• Better effluent quality (no solids)
• Reuse of wastewater (e.g. RO or cooling tower)
• Improved operation (no sludge settlement
  problems, bulking etc ...)
• No final clarifier needed
• Easy to retrofit existing conventional
  installation

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Limitations MBR

• Fouling of the UF or MF membranes due to
  biopolymers formed by the bacteria and particles
  resulting in reduced wastewater throughput (flux)
  
• High membrane cleaning frequency due to membrane
  fouling
• High energy costs, especially due to scouring air
  to keep membranes clean
• Relatively higher capital investment and
  operational expenses compared to conventional
  wastewater treatment
• Low temperature wastewater resulting in higher
  viscosity (lower flux)
• Replacement cost of membrane modules after 5-8
  years

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What is MPE Technology?

• Specially modified cationic polymer
• Prevents membrane fouling
• Adsorbs completely to bio-material
• No residual polymer in filtrate
• MPE30 MPE50 products
• Compatible with all commercial submerged MBR
  membranes
• Added directly to mixed liquor
• Patented technology

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What is the Mechanism for MPE Chemistry?
Less Biofilm Higher Porosity
Biofilm Layer SMP and EPS(Colloidal Particles)
SMP/EPS in Floc Structure
Mixed Liquor
Permeate
Permeate
Increase Particle Size Distribution
Membrane
Membrane
MPE chemistry forms polymer-biopolymer complexes
and these complexes become part of bio-floc
structure.
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Membrane Fouling
Wastewater
Constant Flux Mode
Filtration Time
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Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)
Bioreactor
Membraan tank
Membrane Performance Enhancer- MPE

Effluent
Influent
Recycle
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MPE Agglomerates Biopolymers
No MPE50 added
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Membrane Fouling/Biopolymer Reduction(At High
Fouling Condition)
Control
600 ppm MPE50
After operating at 15 LMH
After operating at 25 LMH
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MPE Reduces Small Particles
MFR reactor Membrane Fouling Reducing Reactor
Reference Byung-Kook Hwang et al., NAMS2005
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Effect of MPE Chemistry on Biofilm Characteristics
Reference Chung-Huk Lee et al., 4th MBR Workshop
Sapporo August, 2006
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MPE50 Technology has been applied to more than 40
sites world-wide
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Full scale Example

• Food industry, the Netherlands

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Industrial MBR in the NetherlandsSystem overview
Effluent to sewer
Biology membrane tank 125 m3
Buffer tank 75 m3
30 m3/day Influent
Sludge wastage to 55 m3 storage tank
Air
Food industry wastewater COD influent 2 20
g/l (average 7g/l) Sludge concentration (MLSS)
15 20 g/l
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Industrial MBR (Side view)
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Top view of industrial MBR
Membranes are 5 meter below turbulent area
Dosage location of MPE50
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Effect of MPE50 on the sludge filterability
(laboratory test)
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Continuous Performance of MPE50 Industrial MBR,
the Netherlands
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200 increase in permeability
Average data
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Effect of MPE50 on foam
Before MPE50
After MPE50
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Foam reduction
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Toxicity ?

• 8 Cell Respirometer - Toxicity Testing
• Dosage 0 3000 PPM MPE-50 - Same Oxygen Uptake
• Agreed with Previous Respirometer Results
• No Negative Effect on Nitrification
• 3000 ppm MPE-50
• Measure TKN
• Influent 370 PPM / Effluent Averaged 3 PPM TKN -
  99 removal

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MPE is not toxic for the biomass
MLSS 12 g/L Sample 500 ml Initial COD 200 mg/L
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MPE Technology Creates Significant Value
Capacity 170m3/h SRT 20 days
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Conclusions

• MPE prevents membrane fouling
• Long term test show significant flux increase, 30
  70
• MBR investment and operational cost reduction can
  be achieved due to reduced membrane surface
• MPE is non toxic and an effective foam reducer