The Application of UASB-MBR with Partial

Nitrification-Denitrification in Wastewater
Reclamation in Warm Climate
F.S. Wong, W. Fang, Y.P. Moy, S. Lin

WATERREUSE 2011
Barcelona, 26-29 September 2011
Background

Experimental

Results and Discussion

Conclusions
Background
30% of Singapores total water demand is from recycled
water (Newater)

Projected to meet 50% of Singapores future water
demand by 2060.

Growing concern over the carbon footprint of treatment
processes

A more effective wastewater treatment is desired
Lower energy consumption
Reduced land use
Reduced sludge production
Municipal/Industrial
Wastewater
Conventional Technology
Effluent
CAS: Conventional Activated Sludge Process
MBR: Membrane Bioreactor
High Cost, Long HRT & Large Footprint, CO2
Emission, Sludge Production
MBR
CAS
Activated sludge process - an aerobic condition for oxidation of C-source

Nitrification - an aerobic condition for oxidation of ammonia

Denitrification - an anoxic condition in the presence of electron donors
Effluent
Municipal/
Industrial
Wastewater
New Approach- Combined UASB-MBR

Shortcut Nitrification Denitrification
Anaerobic-
Reduced Energy via
Reduced Aeration
Biogas
Smaller Footprint
Reduced Emission
MBR UASB
Less Sludge
Membrane
HRT/SRT
Combined UASB/MBR Concept

UASB
- +
C,NH4 -N
MBR UASB
Effluent-UASB
Effluent-MBR
Biogas
CH4,N2,CO2
Recycle (R)
Influent (F)
m
e
m
b
r
a
n
e
A
e
r
o
b
i
c

B
i
o
d
e
g
r
a
d
a
t
i
o
n M
e
t
h
a
n
o
g
e
n
e
s
i
s
D
e
n
i
t
r
i
f
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
N
i
t
r
i
f
i
c
a
t
i
o
n
C,NOX -N
UASB
MBR
air

UASB designed for
methanogenesis
denitrification via nitrite

MBR designed for
partial nitrification
Advantages Combined UASB/MBR System
Less oxygen demand ---- 25% reduction in oxygen via nitrite
rather than nitrate
Saving carbon source ---- 40% carbon saving in denitrification
Conventional nitrification/denitrification
NH
4
+
+ 2O
2
-------------->NO
3
-
+ 2H
+
+ H
2
O
6NO
3
-
+ 5CH
3
OH------->3N
2
+ 5CO
2
+ 7H
2
O + 6OH
-



Shortcut nitrification/denitrification
NH
4
+
+ 3/2O
2
-------------->NO
2
-
+ 2H
+
+ H
2
O
6NO
2
-
+ 3CH
3
OH------->3N
2
+ 3CO
2
+ 3H
2
O + 6OH
-


Objective
To develop a simultaneous carbon and nitrogen removal
process with:

low energy consumption

low sludge production

a high effluent quality for NEWater production
Lab Reactor System
Wastewater Characteristics
Wastewater COD
solu

(mg/L)
TSS
(mg/L)
NH
4
+
-N
(mg/L)
COD
solu
/
NH
4
+
-N
UPWRP 40-70 50-100 27-38 1-2.4
JWRP 220-1000 90-310 50-90 2.4-18.8
Real Wastewater
Ulu Pandan Water Reclamation Plant (UPWRP)
Jurong Water Reclamation Plant (JWRP)
Operation Conditions
Parameters Water Reclamation Plant
Ulu Pandan Jurong
Operation stage UPWRP JWRP1 JWRP2
HRT of UASB/MBR(hrs) 3.5/5 8.4/12 4.7/6.7
Recirculation ratio (MBR
to UASB)
200%
pH 7.8-8
Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) 3.5-4 and 0.5-1
Temperature (C) 30
Membrane module 0.22 um, hydrophobic PVDF, flat Sheet
COD
solu
removal performance in UASB and MBR (a) UPWRP (b) JWRP1 (c) JWRP2
COD Removal
-69% for UASB
-85% & 86% for JWRP1 and JWRP2

Bulk of COD removed in UASB (46% / 71-
76%)
Cf
MBR (23% / 14-10%)
Time (days)
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
C
O
D

C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
g
/
L
)
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
R
e
m
o
v
a
l

E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

(
%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Influent
UASB effluent
MBR permeate
Total efficiency
(b)
Time (days)
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
C
O
D

C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
g
/
L
)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
R
e
m
o
v
a
l

E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

(
%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Influent
UASB effluent
MBR permeate
Total efficiency
(a)
Time (days)
0 10 20 30 40 50
C
O
D

C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
g
/
L
)
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
R
e
m
o
v
a
l

E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

(
%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Influent
UASB effluent
MBR permeate
Total efficiency
(c)
NH
4
+
-N removal performance in UASB-MBR system (a) UPWRP (b) JWRP1 (c) JWRP2
Feed NH
4
+
-N:
30 mg/L for UPWRP
50-70 mg/L for JWRP

Removal at steady state:
96%

Average permeate conc:
3 mg/L
Time (days)
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
N
H
4
+
-
N

C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
g
/
L
)
0
10
20
30
40
R
e
m
o
v
a
l

E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

(
%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Influent
MBR permeate
Efficiency
(a)
Time (days)
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
N
H
4
+
-
N

C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
g
/
L
)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
R
e
m
o
v
a
l

E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

(
%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Influent
MBR permeate
Efficiency
(b)
Time (days)
0 10 20 30 40 50
N
H
4
+
-
N

C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
g
/
L
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
R
e
m
o
v
a
l

E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

(
%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Influent
MBR permeate
Efficiency
(c)
Nitrite accumulation in UASB-MBR system (a) UPWRP (b) JWRP1 (c) JWRP2
Shortcut nitrification optimised at:
pH 7.8-8
Temperature 30C

DO 3-4 mg/L
In later tests, higher nitrite achieved at 0.5-
1 mg/L
Time (days)
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
g
/
L
)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
N
O
2
-
-
N
/
N
O
x
-
-
N

(
%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
NO
2
-
-N
NO
3
-
-N
NO
2
-
-N/NO
x
-
-N
(a)
Time (days)
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
g
/
L
)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
N
O
2
-
-
N
/
N
O
x
-
-
N

(
%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
NO
2
-
-N
NO
3
-
-N
NO
2
-
-N/NOx
-
-N
(b)
Time (days)
0 10 20 30 40 50
C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
g
/
L
)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
N
O
2
-
-
N
/
N
O
x
-
-
N

(
%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
NO
2
-
-N
NO
3
-
-N
NO
2
-
-N/NO
x
-
-N
(c)
TN removal performance in UASB-MBR system (a) UPWRP (b) JWRP1 (c) JWRP2
TN removal:
56% for UPWRP
80% & 73% for JWRP

COD/TN ratio:
1.9 for UPWRP
13.2 & 7.6 for JWRP
Low organic carbon could limit
denitrification in UASB for UPWRP
Time (days)
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
T
N

C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
g
/
L
)
0
10
20
30
40
R
e
m
o
v
a
l

E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

(
%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Influent
MBR permeate
Efficiency
(a)
Time (days)
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
T
N

C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
g
/
L
)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
R
e
m
o
v
a
l

E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

(
%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Influent
MBR permeate
Efficiency
(b)
Time (days)
0 10 20 30 40 50
T
N

C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
m
g
/
L
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
R
e
m
o
v
a
l

E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

(
%
)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Influent
MBR permeate
Efficiency
(c)
System Performance Results: UPWRP Wastewater
System Unit Parameters
(mg/L)
Influent Effluent/permeate Removal
(%)
UASB COD
solu
68 31 54
TOC 20 10 50
UASB + MBR COD
solu
68 20 70
TOC 20 5 75
NH
4
+
-N 31 4 87
TN 29 13 55
Lab-scale system
C/N ratio = 2-3
System Performance Results: JWRP Wastewater
Lab-scale system
System Unit Parameters
(mg/L)
Influent Effluent/permeate Removal
(%)
UASB COD
solu
704 206 71
TOC 253 63 75
UASB + MBR COD
solu
704 109 84
TOC 253 33 87
NH
4
+
-N 65 11 83
TN 74 20 73
C/N ratio = 11
Biogas Production
Biogas production rate:
--- 1L/m
3
wastewater for UPWRP
--- 25 to 76 L/m
3
wastewater for JWRP (~0.23g CH
4
/g COD)

Methane composition in the biogas varied between 50% to 75% at different
stages of operation.

The extremely low biogas production in the treatment of UPWRP:
--- Low feed carbon concentration
--- Low C/N ratio
--- Loss of methane via dissolution in effluent from UASB

Conclusions
The combined UASB/MBR with partial nitrification is:

feasible for treating municipal wastewater for carbon/nitrogen removal with
methane production

more suitable for treating higher strength wastewater where higher carbon
and nitrogen removal can be obtained with higher energy recovery from
higher methane production

a process with potential for further development for higher strength
municipal wastewater or high strength industrial wastewater for positive
energy balance, reduced footprint and reduced greenhouse gas especially
in countries with warm climate.

Acknowledgment
Environment & Water Industry Development
Council (EWI), Singapore for financial support to
the project

PUB, Singapore for its strong support to the project