Kubota Submerged Membrane Units

Design

November, 2009

Kubota Corporation
1

1.Outline of Kubota Membrane Unit

Conventional Process - Membrane

Process
Recycle
Screen,
GC

Primary
Clarifier

Deni

Sedimenatio
n

Nitri

SF

UV

Influent

Conventional Process
RAS

Membrane Process

Influent

Recycle

Excess
Sludge

Effluent

Screen
GC
Excess Sludge
Deni

Nitri

Kubota MBR Process

Development since the late 1980s
First Plant Operation in 1991
First Overseas Plant Operation in Feb.,1998 in
UK (Porlock WwTW)
Now More Than 3,500 Plants in Operation and
Under Construction

Concept of Kubota MBR

Suitable for Wastewater Treatment

Submersible Membrane in Tank
Flat Sheet Membrane
Easy Operation and Maintenance
Small Footprint
Stable and High Quality Treated Water

Structure of Kubota SMU

Manifold

Tube
Membrane case
Membrane cartridge

Diffuser case
Diffuser

Structure of Kubota SMU

Kubota SMU
Upper membrane case
Lower membrane case

Membrane
case
Diffuser case

Single deck unit

Diffuser

Double deck unit 8

Installation Example

Double Deck

Single Deck

2.Design of Membrane Tank

10

System of Tank
1 oxic tank

Membrane

2 oxic tanks

One tank

additional

1 anoxic 1 oxic
(for denitrification)

1 anoxic 2 oxic
(for denitrification)
additional
11

Layout of Units in Tank

Same type of units

Same number of units in tanks

12

Height of membrane unit

+ 500 (min.)

650

1000

1000

650

C=(1000 to 1300) x n + 300

Unit: mm
A (Opening length)

B (Tank width)

C (Tank length)

FS50

1100 B

More than1300

(1000~1300) n+300

ES75, FS75

1450 B

More than 1800

(1000~1300) n+300

ES100

1800 B

More than 2300

(1000~1300) n+300

ES125

2150 B

More than 2800

(1000~1300) n+300

ES150, EK300

2500 B

More than 3300

(1000~1300) n+300

ES200, EK400

3200 B

More than 4300

(1000~1300) n+300

n = Nos.of Membrane Unit

13

(mm)

Intermediate Case

3000
2000

Membrane Case

1000

1000

Membrane Case

Diffuser Case

Diffuser Case
EK
EK Model
Model

Double Deck Unit

ES
ES Model
Model

FS
FS Model
Model

Single Deck Unit

14

Min. Effective Sludge Level for Type

of Units

Type

WL

500
HM

HM

EK

3,500

4,000

ES

2,000

2,500

FS

1,500

2,000

15

Piping of Membrane Units

Air Supply Inlet Header (Hi)
Air Supply Inlet Side (Ai)

Permeate Header (Hw)

Air Supply Outlet Header (Ho)
Permeate Connection (W)

Air Supply Outlet Side (Ao)

Diffuser Connection (Ad)

16

Design of Header Pipe

Permeate header pipe
Number of
Units

ES150

ES200

EK300

EK400

65

80

652

802

80

100

802

100
2

100

125

100
2

125
2

100

125

100
2

125
2

125

150

125
2

150
2

125

150

125
2

150
2

125

200

125
2

200
2

17

Design of Header Pipe

Air header pipe

Number of
Units

ES150 ES200
EK300

EK400

Supply side

Diffuser
cleaning

Supply side

Diffuser
cleaning

80

65

80

80

100

80

100

100

125

100

125

125

125

100

125

125

150

125

150

150

150

125

150

150

200

125

200

200

200

150

200

200

10

200

150

200

200 18

Membrane Tank Section Reference

Elbow

Diffuser cleaning valve

Diffuser cleaning header

Diffuser cleaning header

Chemical cleaning port

Permeate header
Air supply header

19

3.Process Flow

20

Example BOD Treating Flow

BOD 5mg/L
pH 5.8 8.6

Flowrate
30m3/d
BOD 300mg/L
T-N 20mg/L
T-P 3mg/L
N-Hex 50mg/L
pH 5.8 8.6

21

Example High BOD Treating Flow

22

4. Design Reference for Industrial

wastewater Treatment
BOD Treatment

23

Design Conditions

Type of wastewater Food processing/Lunch box

Flowrate 300m3/d
Influent duration 10 hours
Treating time 24 hours
Influent/Effluent water quality
Item

Raw water

Treated water

Removal rate

BOD

1,000

10

99.0%

COD

300

(20)

(93.3%)

SS

800

99.6%

n-Hex

150

99.3%

pH

5.8-8.6

5.8-8.6

Suction filtration by pump

Recycle rate 200% 300%supply, 200%Return
24

Equalization Tank
Required volume

Equalized volume

Supernatant

Flowrate 300 m3/d

Inflow period 10 hours
Required volume 175m3 + supernatant
[ = 300m3/d
(300m3/d24x10hours ]
Mixing required
Transfer pump
Constant transfer by measuring tank or
timer
control of transfer pump
Fine screen with 1mm opening
25

Biological tank
1. Tank volume

Required volume
Aeration tank

=
=

Influent BOD
Pre-aeration tank

Treating rate

/
+

Membrane tank

Treating volume 300m3/d

Influent BOD 1,000mg/L BOD load 300kg/d
Required volume 200m3 (Pre-aeration and
membrane tanks)

[ = 300kg/d / 1.5kg/m3*d ]
Exclusive blower to be used for membrane
units
Flowrate of blower for membrane units is
specified
for type of membrane units
Remaining required volume is supplied at pre-

26

2 Calculation of number of cartridge

Filtration area per cartridge: 0.8 m2/pc
Flux
0.4 m3/m2/d
Intermittent filtration 0.9 (OFF 1 min, ON 9 min

Required number of cartridge 1,042 pcs

[ = 300m3/d / 0.8m2/pc / 0.4m/d / 0.9 ]

Type of unit:
ES200 (200 pcs/unit)
[ 6 units = 5.21 = 1,042 pcs / 200 pcs ]

27

3 Design of tank
Type of units ES200 x 6 units
Tank size

[ 4.5mL x 3.5mW x 3.0mH x 2 = 94.5m3 ]

3,500

4,500

4,500

ES200

ES200

ES200

ES200

ES200

ES200

Membrane tank A

Membrane tank B

28

4 Required Oxygen Volume

Required oxygen volume

BOD oxidization

Coefficient for BOD oxidization

1.5

Endogenous respiration

0.5 0.45 -

Coefficient for endogenous respiration

0.1 0.05

-0.15
BOD load 300kg/d
BOD oxidization 150kg-O2/d
[ = 300kg/d x 0.5kgO2/kg-BOD ]
Endogenous respiration 178.1kg-O2/d [ = 94.5 x 12 + 105.5 x 8
x 90% x 0.1 ]
MLSS in Membrane tank 15,000mg/l
MLSS in pre-aeration tank 10,000mg/l [ = 15,000 x 2/(2+1)]
MLVSS/MLSS 90%
Total required air volume 328.1kgO2/d
29
[ = 150kg-O2/d + 178.1kg-O2/d ]

5 Oxygen Supply from Membrane Units

Air volume
Oxygen volume

=
=

Number of cartridge
Air volume

Specified air volume of cartridge

Oxygen transfer efficiency

factor

Number of units ES200 x 6

1,200 pcs x 10 l/min/pc = 12.0 m3/min
Oxygen transfer efficiency = 5% = 0.6
Oxygen supply from membrane units = 143.6 kg-O2/d

[ = 12.0m3/min x 0.277kg-O2/m3 x 5% x 0.8 x 1,440 min/d ]

30

Scouring Force - Stable Operation

Biological Condition

Optimum Sludge
Condition for
Wastewater
treatment
Membrane
operation

Hydraulic Condition
Membrane Surface Cleaning
by Air Scouring

Diffuser cleaning
for uniform upflow
Bubble

Air

31

Cross Flow Filtration

Membrane
Cartridge

Membrane
Cartridge

Air bubble
Activated sludge

Upward flow velocity controls

membrane biofilm.
(Air scouring)

Higher upward flow velocity

enhances flux rate.
Permeate

Permeate

32

Membrane Surface Cleaning

Upward airflow among membranes

In the Kubota membrane system, we adopt

cross-flow filtration to make the membrane
surface clean and control bio-fouling on the
membrane. This cross-flow aeration is
enhanced with introduction of coarse bubble.

This coarse bubble aeration makes well

vertical mixing flow.

Our diffuser system makes well distributed

coarse bubble and disperse air in biomass.

This air is also used to transfer the oxygen into

biomass.

33

5-1 Specification or air volume for Cartridge

Type of unit

Min air volume

Max air volume

ES Type

10 l/min/pc

15 l/min/pc

EK Type

7 l/min/pc

10 l/min/pc

FS type

12.5 l/min/pc

15 l/min/pc

Do not supply the air volume more than max air volume. This may
make the usage period short.

The supplied air to membrane units is used

also for biologically required oxygen.
34

5-2 Oxygen Transfer Coefficient from Membrane

Unit & Alpha Factor
Effective
water depth

Coefficient

1.0m

2.0%

2.0m

3.5

3.0m

5.0

4.0m

6.0

5.0m

7.0

Oxygen transfer coefficient in sludge = Coefficient x

factor
Alpha factor shall be discussed because there is no
common guide line currently.

35

6 Required Oxygen volume at Pre-aeration tank

Required oxygen volume at

pre-aeration tank

Required oxygen
volume

Oxygen volume from

membrane units

Required oxygen volume = 328.1 kg-O2/d

Oxygen volume from membrane units = 143.6kg-O2/d
Oxygen volume at pre-aeration tank = 184.5kg-O2/d [ 328.1 - 143.6 ]

Fine bubble diffuser shall be selected according to

specification of manufacturer locally available.

36

7 Sludge Production
BOD load
300kg/d
MLSS
15,000mg/l
Sludge production rate 40% against
BOD
It depends on the conditions.

Sludge production 120kg-ds/d [ =300kg/d x

40%]
8 3/d (at MLSS=15,000mg/L)
[120kg-ds/d / 15,000 x 1,000 ]

37

Operation and Note for Equipment

1. Blower for pre-aeration tank
1. Possible for intermittent operation
24 hours continuous operation or intermittent operation with
timer
2. Blower for membrane units
1. Exclusive blower for membrane units and tank
2. Capacity less than maximum air volume for membrane units
3. Continuous operation or intermittent operation with timer

38

Operation and Note for Equipment

3. Fine screen
Opening: 1 mm or less
24 hours continuous operation or connected
to transfer pump operation
4. RAS recycle pump
According to the recycle rate
Minimum 2Q
24 hours continuous operation or control with
water level
5. Suction pump
1. Self-priming pump, Suction level 5m or more
2. Pressure gauge (-100 - 100kPa)
3. Flow meter & Flow volumeter (Electromagnetic meter)

Pressure transmitter

Pressure sensor

39

Operation of Suction Pump

1. Interlock to the connected membrane blower
2. Control with water level of pre-aeration tank or RAS tank
3. Stop of operation during diffuser cleaning valve open
4. Alarm and stop of operation with high TMP
5. Intermittent operation (off 1 min. / on 9 min. adjustable by timer)
6. Off start

TMP is trans-membrane pressure which is not same as the pressure

indicated by pressure gauge. It shall be adjusted according to water level
and position of pressure gauge.

Emergency
stop

-A kPa
-(A + 5 )
kPa

5 kPa

TMP in
operation
Pressure increase

-20 kPa

40

Operation of Diffuser Cleaning Valve

1. Operation with timer
2. Frequency: Once or twice a day
Duration: 5 min.
Frequency and duration is suitably adjustable.
3. Suction pump suspends with signal of "open of this valve"
4. Suction pump starts (off start) with signal of "close of this valve".

This operation prevent clogging of diffuser of

membrane units.

41

Low Load Operation Mode of exclusive Blower

for Membrane units
1. Protection of membrane cartridge
2. Mixing of sludge to prevent settling
Lowest water level at equalization tank (LLWL) Low load mode

Intermittent operation for membrane blower

Operation cycle Off: 55 min.
On: 5 min.
Membrane blower
operation

Low load mode

above LLWL

LLWL

Membrane blower stop

above LLWL

Empty equalization tank

55min
55min
55min
5min
5min

42

Diffuser Cleaning Operation

Air and sludge makes the inside of diffuser pipe clean when
the diffuser cleaning valve is open and membrane blower
operates.
Motor operated butterfly valve
Air from blower

Cleaning valve

Frequency 1-2
time/day
Duration
each

Aeration

5 min.

Cleaning
43

In-Situ Chemical Cleaning

Cleaning Interval
Periodically (3 6 months)
-Increase in Suction Pressure (5kPa)
Chemicals
-Sodium Hypochlorite (Cl: 0.5%) for
Organic Fouling
-Oxalic Acid (1.0%) for Inorganic Fouling
Chemical volume: 3 l/Cartridge
Cleaning Time: Pouring 5 - 15 min. +
Cleaning 60 120 min.

44

5. Case Study
Operation Plant

45

Porlock STW

Ariel view

46

Porlock STW

47

Porlock Treatment Building

Permeate
Pumps

4.
2.

Aeration Tanks
1-4

Crude Effluent
inlet
Fine Screens
3 mm

Final Effluent
out

Tidal Storage

Anoxic recycle
Tank

Blowers
1.

3.

Washing Tank

Membrane Units

48

Porlock Treatment Building

Aeration tanks and 3 mm fine screens

49

Porlock BOD Removal

Feb 98 - Jan 03

BOD (mgO2/l)
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
0

2
3
Time in Years
Raw Feed

Permeate

50

Process Performance
Capability of removing coliform
The average removal rate of bacteria reaches
6 Log No need of disinfections
Faec. Col.
Raw feed
106/100 ml
1000
100
10
1
0.1
Sampling contamination
0.01
identified
0.001
0.0001
0.00001
0.000001
0
50
100
150
200

Permeate

250

300

350

400

Time in Days

51

Thank you

52