Results of the validation in La Bisbal d’Empordà
Smart Air MBR, a smart air-scour control system
Results of the validation in Sabadell Riu Sec wastewater treatment plant
Albert Galizia, Joaquim Comas, Adolfo Pino, Àlex Rodero, Ignasi Rodríguez-Roda, Gaëtan Blandin, Hèctor Monclús, Optimizing full-scale MBR performance: A dual-phase approach for real-time air-scouring and permeate flow modifications, Journal of Water Process Engineering, Volume 66, 2024, 105992, ISSN 2214-7144, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2024.105992
Technology description
Membrane bioreactors (MBR) are efficient, mature technologies for wastewater treatment that combine biological treatment with membrane filtration. MBR have higher energy consumption than conventional activated sludge systems, mainly used for membrane aeration.
Fuzzy Smart Air MBR® is a smart fuzzy logic automated control system that monitors MBR filtration process at real time to optimise the air-scouring flow. As membrane aeration accounts for 20-40% of MBR operation demand, the energy saving potential is very high.
The implementation of Fuzzy Smart Air MBR® in a wastewater treatment plant is carried out by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in wastewater treatment and environmental decision support systems. It comprises three stages:
- Study of the MBRs and assessment of the saving potential
- Definition of control and supervision rules
- Implementation and validation of Fuzzy Smart Air MBR® system
Competitive benefits
- 20% reduction of the air-scouring flow to clean the membranes
- Up to 35% savings of the membrane aeration costs
- Reliable control of membrane fouling parameters together with biological process parameters
- Optimisation on the frequency of maintenance cleanings
- Stabilisation of the biological nutrient removal, maintaining or improving the quality of the effluent
- Extension of membrane lifetime
Research team and contact
Fuzzy Smart Air MBR has been developed by a team of researchers and developers of LEQUIA research group of Universitat de Girona and GS INIMA Environment. Contact: Hèctor Monclús (hector.monclus@udg.edu)
Current status of technology development
The system has been successfully validated at full scale in MBR treatment lines of two wastewater treatment plants in Catalonia (Sabadell-Riu Sec and La Bisbal Empordà).
Desired cooperation
We seek to establish partnerships with technology developers, end-users and investors to optimise, upgrade and validate/implement the system in real environments.