Modeling and simulation-assisted strategies for effective membrane-fouling mitigation during membrane bioreactor operation

This research principally aimed to present a suitable strategy for membrane-fouling mitigation in membrane-bioreactors (MBRs). The current strategies for membrane-fouling mitigation before initiating the process in many cases, are unmodifiable for a specific MBR system along the operations. Thus, membrane-fouling strategies during filtration should be applied. To select the best and most economical method for controlling fouling during the operations, the quality (site and mechanism) as well as quantity (thickness, mass, and porosity of the cake layer, and pore resistances) of fouling should be predicted. Accordingly, in this research, two powerful tools, i.e. modeling and simulation, have been used for predicting the quality and quantity of fouling, respectively. Through modeling, the best model describing the site and mechanism of fouling was chosen. Through simulation, the thickness, mass and porosity of the cake layer, along with resistance of cake and pores were calculated. In addition, the match between the results of modeling, simulation, and experimental results confirmed the accuracy of the performed predictions. Ultimately, to achieve the minimum membrane-fouling during filtration, based on the modeling results, the general solution of washing (physical or chemical), and based on the simulation results, its intensity (low, medium, and high) were proposed.