The role of blocking and cake filtration in MBR fouling

Membrane fouling in a side stream biomass separation MBR pilot plant was investigated. Constant flux filtration (18-72 l/m²h was employed. Air was continuously supplied to the MBR system with the feed (sludge) to flush the membrane surface, and backwashing was applied every 5-10 min for 8 s to control membrane fouling. Although the duration of pore blocking was generally short (completed in 8 s at a flux of 52 l/m²h), blocking resistance (mainly irreversible blocking resistance) was the main cause of membrane fouling. However, the resistance of the filter cake also played an important role, particularly when the backwashing interval was extended to 10 min. In terms of fouling reversibility, blocking resistance was not completely reversible by backwashing, especially at higher fluxes (e.g. 69 l/m²h), and frequent chemical cleaning (once every week at 40 l/m²h) was required. However, cake filtration was easily reversible via a combination of backwashing and sludge/air flushing of the membrane surface. Finally, a simple method to identify both irreversible and reversible blocking resistance and filter cake resistance was proposed.