In this study, ultrasound was used to control the membrane fouling online in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AMBR). Short-term
running experiments were carried out under different operating conditions to explore feasible ultrasonic parameters. The experimental
results indicated that when the crossflow velocity was more than 1.0 m/s, membrane fouling could be controlled effectively
only by hydrodynamic methods without ultrasound. When ultrasound was applied, an ultrasonic power range of 60–150 W was suitable
for the membrane fouling control in the experimental system. The experimental results showed that the membrane fouling was
controlled so well that membrane filtration resistance (Σ
R) could stay at 5 × 10
11 m
−1 for more than a week with the crossflow velocity of 0.75 m/s, which equaled the effect of crossflow velocity of more than
1.0 m/s without ultrasound.
Keywords anaerobic membrane bioreactor - membrane fouling control - ultrasound
Translated from Techniques and Equipment for Environmental Pollution Control, 2006, 7(4): 25–29 [译自: 环境污染治理技术与设备]