Workshop title: Integrating membrane processes into anaerobic systems
Workshop chairs: Ángel Robles (Universitat de València, Spain), Jules van Lier (Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands)
Workshop lecturers: Zouhayr Arbib (FCC Aqualia S.A., Spain), Jeonghwan (Jon) Kim (Inha University, South Korea), Dianna Kitt (University of Michigan, USA), Ángel Robles (Universitat de València, Spain), Ran Shang (Biothane-Veolia, the Netherlands), Jules van Lier (Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands)
Event description: Different anaerobic membrane-based alternatives are being regarded as a core technology for moving towards new, highly efficient, and cost-effective, green alternatives for wastewater treatment. For instance, AnMBRs have shown their potential for treating: a) low-strength wastewater in mild or even cold climates by introducing a membrane filtration system for complete retention of biomass; and b) industrial wastewaters commonly associated with extreme conditions such as the presence of refractory compounds and/or high salinity that adversely affect biomass retention or reduce biological activity.
Regarding alternative configurations integrating membranes, coupling filtering blankets (e.g., UASB) with post-treatment membranes offers new perspectives for wastewater treatment, since the bioreactor provides a pre-elimination of suspended solids by entrapment and biodegradation in the sludge bed and thus, reduces the solids load to the membrane, allowing for low membrane process costs to be achieved, while membrane represents a polishing effluent step high providing of a high-quality effluent. On the other hand, dynamic membrane (DM) technology represents other low-cost treatment alternative for wastewater treatment, where the dynamic cake formed on the supporting material acts as barrier for pollutant removal while keeping reduced process costs.
Hence, this workshop pays special attention on key operating issues limiting the widespread application of AnMBR technology. In this respect, the main goal of this workshop is to provide recommendations for the improvement of membrane-based anaerobic systems for the treatment of industrial and urban wastewaters.
Expected outcomes of the workshop:
- Identification of main challenges and needs.
- Final discussion around the writing of opinion/summary paper(s) with the main outcomes.
Outline of the workshop:
| Time |
Topic |
Chair/Lecturer |
| 14:00-14:15 |
Welcome and introduction |
Ángel Robles/ Jules van Lier |
| 14:15-15:30 |
Part 1: AnMBR as core technology within the Circular Economy |
Moderator: Valeria Sandoval
(YWP; Universitat de València) |
| AnMBR for widening resource recovery within the industrial sector (20 min + 10 min discussion) |
Ran Shang
Jules van Lier |
| AnMBR for widening resource recovery within the urban wastewater sector (20 min + 10 min discussion) |
Zouhayr Arbib
Ángel Robles |
| Discussion and consolidation (15 min) |
All |
| 15:30-16:00 |
Coffee Break |
|
| 16:00-17:15 |
Part 2: Alternative membrane-based configurations |
Moderator: Víctor García (ECP; Econvert) |
| Membrane-based polishing steps for anaerobic fluidized bed bioreactor (20 min + 10 min discussion) |
Jeonghwan (Jon) Kim |
| Dynamic membrane bioreactors (DMBRs) to intensify and expand anaerobic digestion applications (20 min + 10 min discussion) |
Dianna Kitt*, Lutgarde Raskin, Tim Fairley-Wax, Steven Skerlos |
| Discussion and consolidation (15 min) |
All |
| 17:15-17:30 |
Q/A and conclusions |
Jules van Lier/Ángel Robles |
(* Speaker in this slot)
