Improved Performance of Membrane Bioreactor by Sludge Ozonation for Reduction of Excess Sludge Production

To seek for an alternative solution for the treatment and disposal of excess activated sludge, a hybrid system of membrane bioreactor ( MBR) coupled with ozonation process (i.e., ozonation run) was set up to treat the domestic wastewater. A reference run without ozonation was also preformed as a control. The optimal ozone dose of solubilization in the ozonation run was firstly determined through the batch sludge ozonation tests. A 40-day continuous operation of the two parallel systems demonstrated that circulation of ozonized sludge as lysate did not impact the performance of MBR in terms of organic and ammonia removal. On the contrary, an improvement in TN removal (by 7.7%) and sludge reduction (by 54%) was observed in the ozonation-combined MBR, and it was furthermore illustrated by the calculation of the mass balance based on the COD and TN substances. In addition,ozonation did not deteriorate the sludge activities for the ozonation run, indicating that not much inert organic materials built up in the bioreactor. Decreased VSS/SS ratio and lower amount of filamentous bacteria after ozonation treatment on the other hand improved the sludge settleability, as lower and constant Sluge Volume Index (SVI) values were detected in the ozonation run.