Innovation and optimization of aeration in free bubbling flat sheet MBRs

Free bubbling in flat sheet MBRs has been widely used water treatment to control membrane fouling, however, the associated aeration cost discourages its wider application. To counter this drawback an innovative design of system is proposed and evaluation indicates significantly high potential. The guiding aim establishment sufficient shear stress all channels at economical specific air demand (SADm). Based upon a validated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) study, hydrodynamic features including stress, bubble size distribution bubbles across neighboring were predicted for two designs. For both mini 100-sheets commercial FSMBR (size plates 448 mm × 245 mm) full-scale standard unit with 1800 490 plates, it was shown that effect induced our modified free manner moves beyond seeking achieve bland uniformity between channels. optimal configuration featured channel gap 5 aerator additional large side nozzle operating inlet velocity 2.6 m/s. Such arrangement would cover 12 Through optimization consumption successfully reduced giving SADm 0.28 Nm3m-2h-1, corresponding 46% reduction respect traditional industrial usage 0.51 Nm3m-2h-1.