Impact of Magnetically Induced Vibration on the Performance of Pilot-Scale Membrane Bioreactor

Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have been gaining acceptance as the best available technology for treating domestic and industrial wastewater. Relatively high operational costs, however, limit a broader adoption of MBRs. Air scouring, which is commonly used as a strategy to alleviate membrane fouling, suffers from inherent limitations such as low shear at the membrane surface. Vibration-based approaches offer promise as alternative or complementary methods of fouling mitigation. In this study, we evaluated magnetically induced membrane vibration (MMV) as a means of controlling membrane fouling in a pilot-scale MBR equipped with reinforced hollow-fiber membranes. Two vibration frequencies (30 and 150 Hz) were tested at a subcritical permeate flux of 26 L/(m2·h). Membrane vibration retarded the transmembrane pressure buildup and saved ∼8% of the costs associated with chemical and energy consumption.