Abstract: A cartridge apparatus for water treatment includes a header having a permeate cavity, a plurality of support elements spaced apart from the header, and a plurality of subgroups of hollow fiber membranes, the membranes in each subgroup having first ends potted in the header, and second ends potted in a respective one of the plurality of support elements.

Abstract: An aeration system for a submerged membrane module has a set of aerators connected to an air blower, valves and a controller adapted to alternately provide a higher rate or air flow and a lower rate of air flow in repeated cycles. In an embodiment, the air blower, valves and controller, simultaneously provide the alternating air flow to two or more sets of aerators such that the total air flow is constant, allowing the blower to be operated at a constant speed. In another embodiment, the repeated cycles are of short duration. Transient flow conditions result in the tank water which helps avoid dead spaces and assists in agitating the membranes.

Abstract: A liquid treatment plant has sets of membrane trains and processing trains with flow between them through channels. Flow configurations for withdrawing permeate and sludge from the trains are described. Cyclic aeration is provided to the membrane trains. Methods of foam control, backwashing and chemical cleaning are described. Single membrane trains or process trains may be isolated for various functions. An isolated membrane train may be used to thicken sludge.

Abstract: An aeration system for a submerged membrane module has a set of aerators connected to an air blower, valves and a controller adapted to alternately provide a higher rate or air flow and a lower rate of air flow in repeated cycles. In an embodiment, the air blower, valves and controller, simultaneously provide the alternating air flow to two or more sets of aerators such that the total air flow is constant, allowing the blower to be operated at a constant speed. In another embodiment, the repeated cycles are of short duration. Transient flow conditions result in the tank water which helps avoid dead spaces and assists in agitating the membranes.

Abstract: A process has steps of one or more of aerobic treatment to remove COD and nitrify a waste stream, anoxic treatment to denitrify a waste stream, anoxic treatment to remove selenium and anaerobic treatment to remove heavy metals and sulphur. The process may be used to treat, for example, FGD blow down water. The process may further include one or more of (a) membrane separation of the waste stream upstream of the anoxic digestion to remove selenium, (b) dilution upstream of the biological treatment step, (c) physical/chemical pretreatment upstream of the biological processes or dilution step to remove TSS and soften the waste stream, or (d) ammonia stripping upstream of the biological treatment steps or dilutions step. These processes may be provided in a variety of suspended growth or fixed film reactors, for example a membrane bioreactor or a fixed film reactor having a GAC bed.

Abstract: A filtration device is provided for withdrawing permeate essentially continuously from a multicomponent aqueous substrate containing growing microorganisms in a reservoir. A vertical skein of fiber is scrubbed with coarse bubbles which emanate from a conversion baffle positioned under the skein. The substrate is aerated with fine bubbles in a size range small enough to transfer oxygen to the substrate efficiently. The baffle traps the fine bubbles and converts them to coarse bubbles which are effective to scrub the fibers. In the most preferred embodiment, the finished headers of the skein are derived from composite headers comprising a fixing lamina of resin in which the fibers are potted near their terminal ends, and a fugitive lamina of fugitive powdery material in which the terminal ends of the fibers are potted. The fugitive lamina is removed, preferably by dissolving the powder, e.g. finely divided common salt in water.

Abstract: A membrane supported biofilm reactor uses modules having fine, hollow fibers, for example, made from melt spun thermoplastic polymers treated after spinning to increase their permeability to oxygen, used, for example, in tows or formed into a fabric. In one module, one or more sheets of the fabric are potted into a module to enable oxygen containing gas to be supplied to the lumens of the hollow fibers. Various reactors and processes, for example to treat wastewater, using such modules are described. In one process, oxygen travels through fibers, optionally through an attached biofilm, to oxygenate surrounding water. Mechanical, chemical and biological methods, for example endogenous respiration, are used to control the thickness of the biofilm.

Abstract: Hollow fiber membranes are potted by injecting a liquid material into a substantially closed cavity (44) containing the fibers. The cavity may be formed in part by the interaction of a mold a permeate pan (52) and a layer of an adhesive pre-applied to a bundle of the membranes.

Abstract: An aeration system for a submerged membrane module has a set of aerators connected to an air blower, valves and a controller adapted to alternately provide a higher rate or air flow and a lower rate of air flow in repeated cycles. In an embodiment, the air blower, valves and controller, simultaneously provide the alternating air flow to two or more sets of aerators such that the total air flow is constant, allowing the blower to be operated at a constant speed. In another embodiment, the repeated cycles are of short duration. Transient flow conditions result in the tank water which helps avoid dead spaces and assists in agitating the membranes.

Abstract: A process is described for withdrawing filtered permeate from a non-pressurized substrate in a reservoir through an assembly. The assembly has a plurality of hollow fiber filtering membranes disposed generally vertically between two solid bodies, an enclosure sealed to the upper solid body to define a cavity, a permeate port in communication with the cavity and the lumen of each membrane in fluid communication with the port via the cavity. A suction is applied to lumens of the membranes via the permeate port to withdraw permeate. A gas is directed to provide bubbles which contact the membranes. Feed water is added so that the membranes are immersed while applying the suction.

Abstract: A process has steps of one or more of aerobic treatment to remove COD and nitrify a waste stream, anoxic treatment to denitrify a waste stream, anoxic treatment to remove selenium and anaerobic treatment to remove heavy metals and sulphur. The process may be used to treat, for example, FGD blow down water. The process may further include one or more of (a) membrane separation of the waste stream upstream of the anoxic digestion to remove selenium, (b) dilution upstream of the biological treatment step, (c) physical/chemical pretreatment upstream of the biological processes or dilution step to remove TSS and soften the waste stream, or (d) ammonia stripping upstream of the biological treatment steps or dilutions step. These processes may be provided in a variety of suspended growth or fixed film reactors, for example a membrane bioreactor or a fixed film reactor having a GAC bed.

Abstract: A wastewater treatment system using aerobic granules has a large number of sequencing batch reactor tanks with high volumetric exchange rate, a variable cycle length and constant batch volume. The batch reactors are operated for C, N removal and P is removed chemically, optionally under BioP enhanced conditions. SS are removed in a downstream separation step.

Abstract: A membrane filtration device has a multiplicity of hollow fiber membranes, or fibers, unconfined in a shell of a module; a first header and a second header disposed in vertically spaced-apart relationship; said first header and said second header having opposed ends of each fiber sealingly secured therein, all open ends of said fibers open to a permeate-discharging face of at least one header; permeate collection means to collect said permeate, sealingly connected in open fluid communication with a permeate-discharging face of at least one of said headers; means to withdraw said permeate; said fibers, said headers and said permeate collection means together forming an integrated combination wherein said fibers are essentially vertically disposed and ends of individual fibers are potted in closely spaced-apart relationship in cured resin; with opposed faces at a fixed distance; each of said fibers having a length from 0.1% to less than 5% greater.

Abstract: A process is described for withdrawing filtered permeate from a non-pressurized substrate in a reservoir through an assembly. The assembly has a plurality of hollow fiber filtering membranes disposed generally vertically between two solid bodies, an enclosure sealed to the upper solid body to define a cavity, a permeate port in communication with the cavity and the lumen of each membrane in fluid communication with the port via the cavity. A suction is applied to lumens of the membranes via the permeate port to withdraw permeate. A gas is directed to provide bubbles which contact the membranes. Feed water is added so that the membranes are immersed while applying the suction.

Abstract: A continuous flow reactor or method promotes aerobic granule formation. The reactor may comprise three or four zones that may comprise one or more of an aerobic zone, an alternately aerobic and anoxic zone or discrete aerobic and anoxic zones, and a settling zone. The reactor may have a single sludge removal flow. An anaerobic zone may be located at the bottom of a mass of settled granules. Feed may be introduced through the settled granules generally in a plug flow. An aerobic/anoxic zone may be structured or operated partially like a continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) but with aeration varying in space or time. Sludge granules may move intermittently from an aerobic zone to an aerobic/anoxic zone, for example by an air lift pump. A settling zone may have an upflow of >4 m/hr or >5 m/hr and wash off flocculated biomass.

Abstract: Hollow fiber membranes are potted by injection molding a thermoplastic material into a cavity containing the fibers. The cavity is formed in part by the interaction of a mold and a layer of an adhesive pre-applied to a bundle of the membranes.

Abstract: An aeration system for a submerged membrane module has a set of aerators connected to an air blower, valves and a controller adapted to alternately provide a higher rate or air flow and a lower rate of air flow in repeated cycles. In an embodiment, the air blower, valves and controller, simultaneously provide the alternating air flow to two or more sets of aerators such that the total air flow is constant, allowing the blower to be operated at a constant speed. In another embodiment, the repeated cycles are of short duration. Transient flow conditions result in the tank water which helps avoid dead spaces and assists in agitating the membranes.

Abstract: A membrane supported biofilm reactor uses modules having fine, hollow fibres, for example, made from melt spun thermoplastic polymers treated after spinning to increase their permeability to oxygen, used, for example, in tows or formed into a fabric. In one module, one or more sheets of the fabric are potted into a module to enable oxygen containing gas to be supplied to the lumens of the hollow fibres. Various reactors and processes, for example to treat wastewater, using such modules are described. In one process, oxygen travels through fibers, optionally through an attached biofilm, to oxygenate surrounding water. Mechanical, chemical and biological methods, for example endogenous respiration, are used to control the thickness of the biofilm.

Abstract: A membrane supported biofilm reactor uses modules having fine, hollow fibres, for example, made from melt spun thermoplastic polymers treated after spinning to increase their permeability to oxygen, used, for example, in tows or formed into a fabric. In one module, one or more sheets of the fabric are potted into a module to enable oxygen containing gas to be supplied to the lumens of the hollow fibres. Various reactors and processes, for example to treat wastewater, using such modules are described. Mechanical, chemical and biological methods, for example endogenous respiration, are used to control the thickness of the biofilm.

Abstract: An apparatus for filtering a liquid in a tank has a plurality of elements and a frame for holding the elements while they are immersed in the liquid. The elements have a plurality of hollow fibre membranes attached to and suspended between an upper header and a lower header. The membranes are in fluid communication with one or more permeate channels in one or more of the headers. Releasable attachments between the headers and the frame allow the frame to releasably hold the elements by their headers. The size and configuration of the frame determines the positions of the upper and lower headers of each element relative to each other. Connections between the permeate channels and one or more permeate collection tubes attached to the frame are releasable and resealable connections which are made or broken automatically by the movements involved in inserting or removing an element into or out of the frame.