• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 2002

A bench-scale anoxic membrane bioreactor (MBR) system, consisting of a bioreactor coupled to a ceramic crossflow ultrafiltration module, was evaluated to treat a synthetic wastewater containing alkaline hydrolysis byproducts (hydrolysates) of RDX, The wastewater was formulated the same as RDX hydrolysates, and consisted of acetate, formate, formaldehyde as carbon sources and nitrite, nitrate as electron accepters. The MBR system removed 80 to 90% of these carbon sources, and approximately 90% of the stoichiometric amount of nitrate, 60% of nitrite. The reactor was also operated over a range of transmembrane pressures, temperatures, suspended solids concentration, and organic loading rate in order to maximize treatment efficiency and permeate flux. Increasing transmembrane pressure and temperature did not improve membrane flux significantly. Increasing biomass concentration in the bioreactor decreased the permeate flux significantly. The maximum volumetric organic loading rate was $0.72kg\;COD/m^3/day$, and the maximum F/M ratio was 0.50 kg N/kg MLSS/day and 1.82 kg COD/kg MLSS/day. Membrane permeate was clear and essentially free of bacteria, as indicated by heterotrophic plate count. Permeate flux ranged between 0.15 and $2.0m^3/m^2/day$ and was maintained by routine backwashing every 3 to 4 day. Backwashing with 2% NaOCl solution every fourth or fifth backwashing cycle was able to restore membrane flux to its original value.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.230-234
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• 1999

To improve the crossflow untrafiltration flux, we applied periodic oscillations in transmembrane pressure gradient in order to promote fluid turbulence by inducing repeated compression and relaxation of the cake/gel layer. The oscillatory forms used were square-, sine-, triangle-wave, and pumping interruption. The permeate flux profiles were mathematically simulated and compared with the experimental data. The result showed the periodic pumping interruption most effectively improved the overall flux by up to about 32%. Enough pumping off-time, at least on the order of tens of seconds, was needed to allow the solutes in the layer to diffuse back to the bulk phase. It was better to start the oscillations earlier before the layer was fully established. The square-wave oscillation yielded about 11% increase, which was particularly pronounced in the later part of the filtration. Either the amplitude or the period of the oscillations resulted little influence on flux.actate ester, and lactate ester produced in esterification reaction was distilled simultaneously with hydrolysis reaction into lactic acid. When the yields of lactic acid recovered by batch reactive distillations with various alcohols were compared, the yield of lactic acid was increased as the volatility of lactate ester was increased. In this batch reactive distillation, because the mixtures condensed in partial condensor were flown to reboiler through distillation column, the recovery yield of lactic acid was affected by operation temperature of partial condensor. Hydrolysis reaction into lactic acid in distillation column rarelyoccurred because of short retention time of lactate ester and water. Lactate ester was reacted into lactic acid in reboiler.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.323-329
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• 2000

The coupling of an activated sludge reactor with a membrane unit, i.e., Membrane Coupled Activated Sludge (MCAS) system offers several advantages over conventional process. But the major hurdle in the extensive use of this process is the continuous reduction of permeation flux caused by membrane fouling. The aim of this study is to investigate membrane fouling characteristics in the MCAS process. During crossflow ultrafiltration(CFUF) of activated sludge, floc size decreased abruptly at the beginning of operation and thereafter decreased continuously and gradually. The floc size changed from 100~200 to $6{\sim}8{\mu}m$ depending on recirculation velocity. This floc breakage played a key role in rapid increase of $R_c$(cake layer resistance), which led to flux decline. The floc breakage stimulated biomass to release EPS(Extracellular Polymeric Substance) which has been known to be one of the major membrane foul-ants. The amounts of EPS before and after CFUF were 266 and 405(VS mg/MLSS g), respectively. The rise up of EPS concentration was another factor affecting flux decline in MCAS system.