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Authors:
Roman Gasull Technical Director at engineering COMPANY INTEGRAWATER
and an MBR consultant, specialising in water and WASTEWATER TREATMENT
Introduction
The Arenales del Sol WWTP, located in Alicante in the Mediterranean region of
Spain, combines biological treatment with nutrient removal with a submerged MBR
system FITTED with flat sheet (FS) ultrafiltration membranes, with an average
treatment capacity of 10,000 m3/d (10 MLD). The plant provides high quality
treatment to highly variable seasonal sewage inflow due to the nature of this popular
coastal region, where second homes and golf courses attract visitors during the
summer months and winter and Easter vacation periods.
This seasonal feature became a major challenge during the commissioning of this
relatively large MBR plant in a short space of time and with very little contingency,
demanding specific OPERATIONAL strategies.
overflowing tanks from heavy foaming events (with subsequent biomass loss) or membrane
clogging
under-spec treated water quality prior to the biological conditions reaching the design values,
and specifically the MLSS concentration
impaired treatment from incomplete tasks from COMMISSIONING , such as clean WATER
TESTING , PID control adjustment, etc
membrane damage due to abrasion from construction materials, such as metal shards from
thread tapping not removed from the MBR tanks
membrane over- or under-aeration due to incomplete PID blower testing or incorrect blower
design.
All the activities planned for the commissioning of this WWTP aimed to minimise or
avoid the above, by applying knowledge available from a number of published case
studies.
It was important to reduce the RISK of initial fouling at the low MLSS
concentrations to avoid downtime for chemical cleaning. However, since the existing
WWTP was not meeting effluent discharge standards, the new plant had to be ready
for work with full flow treatment warranties in a shortened time. Given the time
constraints the project was under, a minimum MLSS concentration of only 6-7 g/l was
deemed necessary prior to operation with the FS MBR membranes.
All ancillary equipment to the MBR (blowers, PUMPS , PLC, etc) was fully tested
with clean water.
Figure 7: Mathematically predicted versus measured trends in MBR tank regarding [MLSS]
This filtration time prior to commissioning, even at these low fluxes (design flux was
22 LMH) allowed for both biomass concentration and biomass acclimatation while
reaching the more acceptable MLSS levels above 10 g/l. Again, the WEST modelling
software was employed to forecast biomass growth and hence inform the initiation of
full-flow start-up of the plant.
Also, during low or no inflow periods to the plant, the MBR would allow for
intermittent aeration every 30 minutes to maintain aerobic conditions, avoiding sludge
settling at the bottom of the tanks and between the membrane plates. When not in
operation, all membrane lanes were aerated for 2.5 minutes every 25 minutes. During
low inflow periods, the eight MBR lanes were OPERATED alternatively in pairs.
Finally, a submersible mixer was installed in each MBR lane not fitted with MBR
modules (until second COMMISSIONING phase) to keep biomass in suspension,
while a minimum 200% recirculation was maintained.
Figure 10: Flux versus TMP during startup (MBR line B1) at Arenales del Sol WWTP
through to the MBR chambers and into the recirculation chamber. Any foaming event
eventually ends up at the MBR lanes, where an overflow weir directs all recirculating
sludge (and foam) into a channel fitted with a simple foam removal system that
operates with two manually operated gates. All foam removed is accumulated in a
sump fitted with SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS , from where it can then be sent to the sludge
dewatering system, or back into the recirculation pipeline into the anoxic tanks.
Conclusions
The Arenales del Sol plant was, at the time of COMMISSIONING , under some of the
typical pressures found in municipal WWTPs in coastal regions. There was an
urgency to have the plant fully working at certain dates and there was no room for
error in either the water quality to be provided or in reliance on the existing plant
which could no longer provide efficient treatment.
The previous MBR knowledge of the contractor, MBR system integrators and
technical assistance ensured a rapid COMMISSIONING with minimal deviations from
the planned schedule over a period of eight weeks. The whole WWTP was designed
with a great amount of contingency equipment and fully orientated towards MBRs.
The WEST modelling software was helpful in forecasting potential biological process
pitfalls prior to the plant attaining design conditions and aided greatly in the planning
of sludge seeding and biomass acclimatation. It also provided useful strategies
for OPERATION , as the software was also used to simulate different inflow scenarios
throughout the year.
Finally, a great deal of care and planning was put into the COMMISSIONING and
start-up phases of the project, with various preventive fouling control techniques
enforced with the sole aim of reducing plant downtime for maintenance cleaning and
ensuring full flow treatment capability for the critical first few months.