GOALI: Advancing Membrane Bioelectrochemical Reactors For Domestic Wastewater Treatment

可持续的废水处理应该能显著地清洁受污染的水，同时最大限度地减少能源消耗，提高水的回用能力，减少碳足迹。为了实现这一目标，探索新的治疗技术变得越来越重要。本研究旨在科学研究一种新型的膜生物电化学反应器（MBER）系统，该系统将超滤膜集成到微生物燃料电池中，无论是在阳极（浸没）还是阴极（侧流），用于可持续的废水处理。两种技术之间的这种合作使一种新的处理系统能够同时以节能的方式处理废水，从有机废物中回收电能，并产生高质量的废水，所需的后处理最少。该GOALI项目的具体目标是：(1)了解MBER系统中污垢控制方法与能源生产/消耗之间的相互作用；(2)考察不同膜装置下两种MBERs的脱氮效果；(3)将MBERs系统的功能扩展到过渡阶段。本项目将系统比较中空纤维膜与交叉流膜在处理性能、污染和经济成本方面的差异。它将通过实验解释运动颗粒活性炭是否可以为电化学活性细菌提供集落位点并在有机氧化过程中收集电子。它还将研究硝化和反硝化是否可以在MBER系统的阴极上完成，并了解氮被去除的途径。规模化的MBER系统将为基础研究和系统开发提供一个新的研究平台，并填补如何扩大生物电化学系统的知识空白。该项目将与威立雅水务技术公司密切合作，威立雅水务技术公司将通过膜材料、学生培训、数据分析和其他积极的沟通/互动为项目提供实质性的支持。该项目还将包括薄膜材料领域的领先公司Pall Corporation作为非正式合作伙伴，为薄膜测试提供指导和帮助。该项目将通过对关键问题的基本理解，为开发和优化一种新的处理技术提供新的见解。揭示了污垢控制与能量之间的关键关系，对MBER系统的实际运行具有指导意义。该项目将通过推进生活废水的厌氧处理以及与水行业的互动/合作，使经济（废水业务）和社会（环境可持续发展的新技术）受益。研究结果将有助于改善现有的处理工艺，并利用尖端技术扩大业务范围。研究成果将整合到当前的环境工程学术课程中，为未来的工程师/科学家的学术和工业生涯做好准备。

CBET-1335930Zhen HeUniversity of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeSustainable wastewater treatment should significantly clean polluted water while minimizing energy consumption, improving water reuse, and decreasing the carbon footprint. To achieve this goal, exploring new treatment technologies becomes increasingly important. This research aims to scientifically investigate a novel membrane bioelectrochemical reactor (MBER) system for sustainable wastewater treatment that integrates ultrafiltration membranes into microbial fuel cells either in the anode (submerged) or the cathode (side-stream). Such cooperation between the two technologies enables a new treatment system to simultaneously treat wastewater in an energy-efficient way, recover electric energy from organic wastes, and produce high-quality effluent that requires minimal post-treatment. The specific objectives of this GOALI project are: (1) to understand the interaction between fouling-control methods and energy production/consumption in the MBER system; (2) to investigate nitrogen removal in the two MBERs with different membrane installations; and (3) to functionally scale up the MBERs system to a transitional stage. The project will systematically compare hollow-fiber membranes with cross-flow membranes in terms of treatment performance, fouling and economical cost. It will experimentally interpret whether motional granular activated carbon can provide colony sites for electrochemically active bacteria and collect electrons during organic oxidation. It will also examine whether both nitrification and denitrification can be accomplished on the cathode of an MBER system and understand the pathways in which nitrogen is removed. The scaled MBER system will provide a new research platform to bridge fundamental research and system development and fill the knowledge gap on how to scale up a bioelectrochemical system. The project will be carried out through close collaboration with Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, which will provide substantial support to the project through membrane materials, student training, data analysis, and other active communication/interaction. The project will also involve Pall Corporation, a leading company in membrane materials, as an unofficial collaborator that will provide guidance and help with membrane tests. This project will provide new insights into the development and optimization of a new treatment technology through fundamental understanding of the key problems. It will also reveal the critical relationship between fouling control and energy, which will guide practical operation of the MBER system. The project will benefit the economy (wastewater business) and society (new technology for environmental sustainability) through advancing anaerobic treatment of domestic wastewater and interaction/collaboration with the water industry. The results from the research will help to improve the existing treatment process and to expand the scope of the business with cutting-edge technologies. The research findings will be integrated into current academic programs in environmental engineering to prepare future engineers/scientists for academic and industry careers.