Performance Evaluation of a Pilot-Scale Aerobic Granular Sludge Integrated with Gravity-Driven Membrane System Treating Domestic Wastewater

A pilot-scale novel wastewater treatmentprocess, integratingaerobic granular sludge with a gravity-driven membrane system, showedsuperior performance when compared to a conventional aerobic MBR system.The novel process is a promising option for decentralized wastewatertreatment and reuse in water-scarce regions. This study describes a novel integration of aerobic granularsludge(AGS) with a gravity-driven membrane (GDM) system at a pilot scalewith a treatment capacity of approximately 150 L per day to treatraw domestic wastewater. The treatment performance and energy consumptionof the AGS-GDM system were compared to the neighboring full-scaleaerobic membrane bioreactor (AeMBR), treating the same wastewaterat about 4000(& PLUSMN;500) m(3) per day. The AGS-GDM systemdemonstrated superior nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) removal ascompared to the AeMBR. The GDM unit was continuously supplied withAGS-treated effluent. The GDM unit started with high [ >20 L perm(2) per h (LMH) ] flux, which gradually declined. The fluxremainedquite stable after 15 days reaching 3 LMH after 35 days without anyphysical or chemical cleaning. Our results suggest that AGS-GDM isa viable technology for decentralized wastewater treatment and reusein water-scarce regions. The AGS-GDM could easily replace conventionalAeMBR technology in the wastewater treatment and reclamation market.