Membrane coupled high-performance compact reactor: a new MBR system for advanced wastewater treatment.

This study examined the potential and limitations of a new submerged membrane system coupled with a High-performance Compact Reactor (HCR) to take advantages of both systems. The configuration and installation position in the HCR of the membrane module were thoroughly investigated for the optimum design of a submerged membrane coupled with HCR, e.g., MHCR. Inside the draft tube proved to be better location rather than outside the draft tube or in the degas tank and an open-type configuration of a membrane module has an advantage over a fixed-type configuration in terms of membrane fouling. Comparison of the innovative MHCR with a conventional membrane bioreactor (MBR) was made to identify and prove the superiority of MHCR to MBR with respect to the membrane performance. The MHCR has shown the great potential, particularly for the treatment of wastewater of high organic strength.