UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND BIOSYSTEMS

ENGINEERING
FEB 540: ENGINEERING PROJECT- REPORT
2017/2018

DESIGN OF A MEMBRANE BIOREACTOR FOR WASTE WATER

TREATMENT AT NORTH GATE SCHOOL, KOMA HILL.

NAME: MAINA MARY WACERA

REG. NO: F21/1977/2013

SUPERVISOR: Dr. CHRISTIAN OMUTO

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 29th JUNE 2018

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Bachelor

of Science in Environmental and Biosystems Engineering in University of
Nairobi.

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DECLARATION
I declare that this project is my original work and has not been submitted for a degree in any
other University.

Sign………………………..........................Date…………………………………………….....
(MARY WACERA – F21/1977/2013)

This project report has been submitted for examination with my approval as University
supervisor.

Sign…………………………………………..Date……………………………………………….
(Dr. CHRISTIAN OMUTO)
Supervisor

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DEDICATION
To North Gate School fraternity for allowing me to do a case study of their waste water
treatment plant and believing in me to provide a solution.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
To Almighty God for giving me an opportunity to pursue my studies and giving me strength and
perseverance for completion of this phase.
To my parents and siblings for always supporting me and being there to encourage me during the
tough seasons.
To Dr. Christian Omuto, my project supervisor, for his insight and guidance in this process of
writing my project. I cannot thank you enough.
To Eng. Prof Ayub Gitau for encouraging me and ensuring I do not settle for less with the
abilities I have.
To my lecturers who have dedicated their time to impart knowledge and engineering skills that
were useful in this project and for the future use.
To my colleagues who have been on this journey with me for moral support and academic help
they have offered me.
To all my friends who have been a source of strength and support. Thank you.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

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ABSTRACT
North Gate School experiences a limited supply of fresh water. The school is located in an arid
and semi-arid area that receives low unreliable rainfall. The primary source of water at the school
is underground water pumped through a borehole. The boarding school with a population of
255has a daily water demand of 20,000 Lto cater for cooking, laundry, toilet flushing etc. With
the school being located far from any sewer line, an onsite waste water management is
necessary. Currently, the school is generating 16,000 L of waste water daily. The institutionhas
been experiencing an overflow of their biological waste water treatment system. This can be
attributed to the lack of maintenance of the conventional activated sludge system and high
hydraulic retention time. Given a growing population at the school and the already experienced
overflows, this system is not capable of handling the waste water treatment currently and in the
future.
The overall objective of this project was to design a membrane bioreactor system for waste water
management at the school. The system enables direct reuse of waste water for non-potable uses
after treatment and has low hydraulic retention time. The daily quantity of waste water produced
at the school was established through calculation after establishing the daily demand of water.
The quantity and pollutant content of the waste water was established from secondary data as
labtesting was a challenge. The membrane bioreactor components; anoxic tank, aeration tank and
membrane tank were sized through calculations taking into consideration the current and future
design flow of waste water. The treatment plant performance was evaluated.
This report contains the introduction, literature review, theoretical considerations, methodology,
results and analysis, cost benefit analysis of the implementation of the project, AutoCAD design
drawings, recommendations and conclusions. The project was a success as the objective of the
project which was to design a membrane bioreactor for North Gate School. Implementation of
this project will reduce pressure on the water supply at the school and become save costs in
regards to water resources.

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Contents
1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 11
1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................. 11
1.2 Problem statement ....................................................................................................................... 12
1.3 Problem justification ................................................................................................................... 12
1.4 Site analysis ................................................................................................................................ 12
1.4.1 Climate and vegetation........................................................................................................ 14
1.4.2 Geology and soils ................................................................................................................ 15
1.5 Objective ..................................................................................................................................... 15
1.5.1 Specific objectives .............................................................................................................. 15
1.6 Scope ........................................................................................................................................... 16
2 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................................... 17
2.1 Sources of waste water................................................................................................................ 17
2.2 Classification of waste water ...................................................................................................... 18
2.2.1 Black water ......................................................................................................................... 18
2.2.2 Grey water ........................................................................................................................... 18
2.2.3 Brown water ........................................................................................................................ 18
2.3 Waste water quality indicators .................................................................................................... 18
2.3.1 Biological quality indicators ............................................................................................... 18
2.3.2 Physical ............................................................................................................................... 18
2.3.3 Chemical ............................................................................................................................. 18
2.4 Waste water treatment systems ................................................................................................... 18
2.5 Overview of the biological waste water treatment ...................................................................... 19
2.5.1 Biological Aerobic Treatment ............................................................................................. 19
2.5.2 Biological Anaerobic Treatment ......................................................................................... 21
2.5.3 Process of biological waste water treatment ....................................................................... 21
2.6 Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) ..................................................................................................... 24
2.6.1 Membrane bioreactor treatment process ............................................................................. 24
2.7 Membrane bioreactor versus the conventional methods of wastewater treatment ...................... 28
3 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ...................................................................................................... 30
3.1 The components of a biological waste water treatment system .................................................. 30
3.1.1 Waste water source ............................................................................................................. 30
3.1.2 Waste water collection ........................................................................................................ 30

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 3.1.3 Waste water conveyance system ......................................................................................... 30
3.1.4 Waste water treatment ......................................................................................................... 30
3.1.5 Storage system .................................................................................................................... 30
3.2 Design considerations when designing MBR ............................................................................. 30
4 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................. 32
4.1 Generation of the design concept ................................................................................................ 32
4.2 Design parameters of membrane bioreactor components ........................................................... 33
4.2.1 Equalization tank................................................................................................................. 33
4.2.2 Anoxic Tank volume ........................................................................................................... 33
4.2.3 Aeration Tank volume ........................................................................................................ 34
4.2.4 Membrane tank volume ...................................................................................................... 34
4.2.5 Hydraulic Retention Time ................................................................................................... 35
4.2.6 Sludge retention time .......................................................................................................... 35
4.2.7 Calculating Required Oxygen ............................................................................................. 36
5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ......................................................................................................... 38
5.1 Site analysis ................................................................................................................................ 38
5.1.1 Land cover .......................................................................................................................... 38
5.1.2 Geology and soils ................................................................................................................ 39
5.1.3 Population ........................................................................................................................... 40
5.2 Quantity of water supplied daily ................................................................................................. 41
5.2.1 Average volume of water used per person per day ............................................................. 41
5.2.2 Quantification of waste water produced. ............................................................................ 41
5.3 Quality determination of waste water ......................................................................................... 42
5.4 Design parameters of MBR......................................................................................................... 43
5.4.1 Equalization tank volume.................................................................................................... 43
5.4.2 Anoxic tank volume ............................................................................................................ 44
5.4.3 Aeration tank volume .......................................................................................................... 44
5.4.4 Membrane tank ................................................................................................................... 46
5.4.5 Calculating required oxygen ............................................................................................... 47
5.4.6 Calculating pipe sizes.......................................................................................................... 48
5.4.7 Hydraulic Retention Time ................................................................................................... 48
5.4.8 Sludge retention time .......................................................................................................... 49
5.5 Effluent quality ........................................................................................................................... 49

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 5.6 Calculating MBR Efficiency ....................................................................................................... 49
5.6.1 BOD removal ...................................................................................................................... 49
5.6.2 Nitrogen removal ................................................................................................................ 50
5.6.3 TSS removal ........................................................................................................................ 50
5.7 Operation and maintenance ......................................................................................................... 50
5.8 Summary of results ..................................................................................................................... 50
5.9 Cost benefit analysis ................................................................................................................... 53
5.9.1 Capital cost.......................................................................................................................... 53
5.9.2 Operational costs ................................................................................................................. 53
5.9.3 Energy demand and power requirement ............................................................................. 54
5.10 Fixed cost of the MBR ................................................................................................................ 54
5.11 Operational cost .......................................................................................................................... 55
5.12 Discussion ................................................................................................................................... 57
6 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION .................................................................................. 58
6.1 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 58
6.2 Challenges encountered .............................................................................................................. 58
6.3 Recommendations ....................................................................................................................... 58
7 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................... 59
8 APPENDICES .................................................................................................................................... 60

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1:Map showing North Gate School. Source: Google Earth .............................................. 13
Figure 2: Map showing waste water treatment plant at NGS School. Source: Google Earth ...... 13
Figure 3: Map showing NGS School in relation to transport network. Source: Google Earth..... 14
Figure 4: A graph of average temperature and rainfall at Machakos ........................................... 15
Figure 5: A pie chart showing domestic water use ....................................................................... 17
Figure 6: A flow diagram showing activated sludge process ....................................................... 20
Figure 7:Schematic diagram of a Membrane Bioreactor. ............................................................. 26
Figure 8:Submerged and side stream membranes ........................................................................ 27
Figure 9:Flow diagram of Membrane Bioreactor and conventional biological waste water
treatment. ...................................................................................................................................... 29
Figure 10:Design methodology flow diagram. ............................................................................. 33
Figure 11:Photo showing North Gate School. .............................................................................. 38
Figure 12:Photo showing vegetation in the school environs. ....................................................... 39
Figure 13:Photo showing soils in the school. ............................................................................... 39
Figure 14:Overflowing manhole ................................................................................................... 40
Figure 15:Photo showing waste water treatment at the school. .................................................... 41
Figure 16:Operational energy demand.......................................................................................... 54

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1:Increasing levels of treatment and acceptable levels of human exposure ...................................... 23
Table 2:Membrane types and uses .............................................................................................................. 46
Table 3: Membrane type and aeration supply ............................................................................................. 47
Table 4:Oxygen requirement based on depth .............................................................................................. 48
Table 5:Pipe selection by membrane type ................................................................................................... 48
Table 6:Effluent characteristics of waste water in an MBR........................................................................ 49
Table 7:Operation and maintenance of MBR.............................................................................................. 50
Table 8: Table of results summary .............................................................................................................. 50

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ABREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
BOD: Biological Oxygen Demand
COD: Carbon Oxygen Demand
DO: Dissolved Oxygen
FS: Flat Sheet Membrane
HRT: Hydraulic Retention Time
MBR: Membrane Bioreactor
MLSS: Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids
SRT: Sludge Retention Time
TSS: Total Suspended Solids
WWTP: Waste Water Treatment Plant

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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background
Increased focus is being put on water reuse and recycling due to the increasing demand on
freshwater water supply that is caused by increasing water usage, changes in climate, uneven
distribution of water resources, water pollution and unsustainable management.
The increase in population growth is continually leading to strain on the available water
resources. One of the ways used to measure water scarcity is per capita availability of fresh water
within a nation’s boundary. The total number of people living in a country helps establish the per
capita availability of freshwater resources in that country. A country is defined to be water scarce
if annual water supply falls below 1000m3 per capita per year (World Water Assessment
Programme, 2012). Kenya is classified as a water scarce country with less than 643 m3 per capita
of renewable fresh water supplies (Momanyi, Quyen Le, 2005). Projection of population growth
shows that water demand is increasing at twice the rate of the growth in population.
There is increasing requirement to use the natural resources sustainably in the present time so
that they can also be reserved for the future use. The millennium development goals have been
developed as a set target to achieve this. Millennium Development Goal 7 deals with
environmental sustainability. One of the ways that has been outlined to realize this is through
adequate treatment of wastewater that contributes to less pressure on freshwater resources,
helping to protect human and environmental health.
Water recycling is the reusing of treated waste water. The term water recycling can commonly be
used synonymously with the expressions water reclamation and water reuse. Through the
hydrological cycle, the earth has the natural ability to recycle and reuse water, a process that has
occurred for millions of years. Generally, water recycling refers to projects that utilize
technology to speed up the natural processes.
Recycled water has the ability to meet most water demands but this is only so if it is adequately
treated to ensure water quality appropriate for use. In cases where there is a high chance of
human exposure to the recycled water, advanced level of treatment is mandatory. Recycled water
is mostly used for non-potable i.e. for non-drinking purposes.
These uses include irrigation in agriculture, landscaping and toilet flushing, construction
activities e.g. concrete mixing. In industries recycled waste water can be used on site for cooling
machinery. A common type of recycled water is water that has been reclaimed from municipal
waste water otherwise known as sewage.
Although most of the water recycling projects have been established to cater for the non-potable
water requirements, some of the projects use recycled water in an indirect way for potable
purposes. This indirect method involves the recharging of ground water aquifers and expanding
surface water reservoirs with the recycled water. In this ground water recharge projects, the
recycled water can be spread or inserted into ground water aquifers to enlarge ground water
supplies and also to prevent salt water invasion in the coastal areas.

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1.2 Problem statement
There is need to reduce pressure on fresh water resources as water scarcity is a challenge
especially in arid and semi-arid areas. North Gate School is located in Kagundo Constituency in
Machakos County, Kenya. The area is classified as an arid and semi-arid area. The students
board at the school therefore there is a high water demand and this demand will continue
increasing with the planned expansion of the school. The design of the membrane bioreactor
system for waste water treatment at the school is an effort to counter this problem by reducing
the pressure on the fresh water sources. This will be achieved through adequate treatment of the
wastewater in the system for reuse in flushing toilets, washing and cleaning activities.

1.3 Problem justification

Kagundo Constituency receives an average annual rainfall of 958 mm which is unevenly
distributed and unreliable (Republic of Kenya, 2015). North Gate School mainly relies on a
borehole as the water source. The school also relies on rainfall water harvested in the bimodal
rainfall season. With the limited supply of fresh water sources and the continued expansion of
the school, there is need to recycle the waste water generated in the institution. Adequate
treatment of the waste water is needed for reuse in flushing toilets and cleaning purposes.
The membrane bioreactor which combines the biological unit and membrane unit for filtration is
ideal compared to the conventional activated sludge system for waste water treatment at the
school as it will take up less space, easily accommodate room for expansion and water can be
directly reused after leaving the system.

1.4 Site analysis

North Gate School is located in Kagundo town, Machakos County in Kenya. It’s located
299555.00 m E - 299857 m E and 9856304.00 m S – 9856163.0 m S and 1.8 km off Kangundo
road.

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Figure 1:Map showing North Gate School. Source: Google Earth

Figure 2: Map showing waste water treatment plant at NGS School. Source: Google Earth

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Figure3: Map showing NGS School in relation to transport network. Source: Google Earth

1.4.1 Climate and vegetation

Rainfall in this area is low and unreliable. The annual rainfall ranges between 400 mm and
800mm. The precipitation can be termed as bimodal with long rains falling in the March-May
period and short rains between October and December.(Moore 1979; porter1965).
The area experiences semi-arid conditions characterized by high temperatures during the day and
relatively low temperatures at night. average monthly maximum temperature varies between
22.20 C and 27.30C and the minimum temperature varies between 11.10C and 15.20. Humid
conditions and seasonal rainfall are also characteristic of this climate.

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Figure 4: A graph of average temperature and rainfall at Machakos

The vegetation that characterizes this area comprises of short acacia trees on the plains with short
grass together with other short and sturdy shrubs which are all drought resistant.

1.4.2 Geology and soils

The dominant rock type is metamorphic. These rocks are comprised of
 mica schist,
 gneisses
 granitoids
Igneous rocks are also found in this area and are comprised of pholonites and tuff minerals.

1.5 Objective
To design a Membrane Bioreactor for waste water treatment at North Gate School.

1.5.1 Specific objectives

i. To establish the quantity of waste water generated in the school.

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 ii. To establish the quantity and pollutant content of the wastewater discharged.
iii. To design membrane bioreactor for design wastewater.

1.6 Scope
The scope of this project is to design a membrane bioreactor system for waste water treatment at
North Gate School at Koma Hill.
The purpose of this system is the reuse of the waste water generated in the school for cleaning,
washing and flashing toilets. The design will cover modification of the components of the
currently existing conventional activated sludge system for high effluent quality water.
The following areas will not be covered in the design;
1. Biogas production for energy requirements of the system.
2. Pretreatment of the black waste water before being injected in the system.
3. Piping and storage system of the treated water.

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2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Sources of waste water
Waste water is generated from various uses of water in agricultural, domestic and industrial
applications. The waste water is generated through;
a) Agricultural
Slaughter houses
Animal waste
Nutrient runoff
Sediment runoff etc.
b) Domestic
Residential homes
Schools
Hotels/ restaurants
Offices etc.
The percentage use of water for domestic purposes is illustrated by the pie chart below.

Figure 5: A pie chart showing domestic water use

c) Industrial
Manufacturing and processing industries e.g sugar, breweries, tanneries, pulp and paper etc.

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2.2 Classification of waste water
2.2.1 Black water
It consists of faecal matter.
2.2.2 Grey water
It consists of waste water from laundry, kitchen, cleaning and showers.
2.2.3 Brown water
It consists of deposits in water e.g. soil.

2.3 Waste water quality indicators

Waste water consists of organic impurities (plant, animal, human waste) and inorganic impurities
such as metals. There are biological, physical and chemical quality indicators as listed;
2.3.1 Biological quality indicators
 COD
 BOD5
 DO
 TVS
 VSS
2.3.2 Physical
 TSS
 TDS
 Temperature
 DO
2.3.3 Chemical
 Nitrogen concentration
 Phosphate concentration
 Arsenic
 Sulphates

2.4 Waste water treatment systems

Wastewater treatment is done using different methods and they are;
 Physical method: pollutants and contaminants are removed by use of physical forces.
 Chemical method: in this method impurities and toxic matter are removed through
chemical reactions.
 Biological method: Pollutants in the waste water are removed through biological
activities.
Biological method is the most common method used for waste water treatment but also
incorporates the physical and chemical methods.

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2.5 Overview of the biological waste water treatment
The biological treatment of wastewater can be dated back to the late 19th Century. By the 1930s,
it became established as a standard method of wastewater treatment (Rittmann,1987). Aerobic
(presence of oxygen) and anaerobic (lack of oxygen) biological treatment methods are used for
the treatment.

2.5.1 Biological Aerobic Treatment

This is a wastewater treatment where the biological process is carried out in the presence of
oxygen. Compared to the anaerobic treatment, it is more efficient and rapid treatment and there
is up to 98% removal of organic contaminants. There is effective breakdown of the organic
pollutants present in the wastewater and a cleaner water effluent is obtained in comparison to
that in anaerobic treatment. The aerobic biological treatment processes comprise;
a. activated sludge process
b. trickling filter
c. aerated lagoons
d. oxidation ponds
The most extensively used method among the above listed processes is the activated sludge
process for both the domestic and industrial wastewater treatment.
a. Activated Sludge Process
It comprises of a multi-chamber reactor unit which uses a high concentration of
microorganisms. These microorganisms breakdown organics in the wastewater and remove the
nutrients which produces a high-quality effluent at the end of the process. In this method, the
wastewater that contains the organic matter together with the microorganisms is aerated by use
of a mechanical aerator. This is done in the aeration tank. This process is important in that it
speeds up the waste decomposition. Aeration is done by pumping air into a tank. This stimulates
the growth of microbial in the wastewater. The discharge from the aeration tank contains the
flocculent microbial mass which is known as sludge. The sludge is separated in another tank
known as the settling tank that is also sometimes referred to as a secondary settler or a clarifier.

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Figure 6: A flow diagram showing activated sludge process

b. Trickling filters:
This is the second most commonly used method of biological aerobic treatment. The method is
also referred to as percolating/bio filter or sprinkling filters. The filters are the ones used for the
removal of compounds like ammonia from the wastewater after it has undergone the primary
treatment. Trickling filters are more easily operated and have lower energyrequirements than the
activated sludge processes. However, they have a lower removal efficiency of the solids and the
organicmatter. They are also more sensitive to low air temperatures, and they can become
infested with flies and mosquitoes (UNEP et al. 2004).

c. Aerated Lagoons
This is another method under the aerobic biological wastewater treatment. In this method, an
aerated lagoon which is a treatment pond, is provided with motorized aeration whereby oxygen
is introduced in the pond so as to stimulate the biological oxidation of the wastewater. The
increased mixing and aeration obtained from the mechanical units makes the ponds more tolerant
to higher organic loading than the maturation/a facultativepond. The mechanical aeration
increases the efficiency of the treatment as there is reduction of the
required hydraulicretentiontime(HRT) for aerobic degradation of organics (ROSE 1999). There
is also an increase in the removal of pathogens (CURTIS et al. 1992). The discharge from the
aerated ponds can be reused or also used for recharge. The settled sludge however requires a
further treatment.

d. Oxidation Pond
In this process, there is interaction in the ponds between bacteria, algae and other organisms that
feed on the organic matter which has been obtained from primary effluent. The ponds also

20
generate effluent which can be used in other applications. Generally, the process is slow and it
needs large areas of land. The oxidation ponds are mainly used in places that have small
populations and where land is available easily.

2.5.2 Biological Anaerobic Treatment

This process is effectively used for treatment of high strength waste water.
Organisms that operate in the absence of oxygen are used and the waste water is treated to a level
that will allow the discharge to a municipal sewer system. The amount of sludge that is produced
in this process is very small when it’s compared to the aerobic treatment. This treatment is a slow
process which occurs in numerous different stages. The system is used in the treatment plants for
the degradation and stabilization of the sludge. After the process has been completed, the
wastewater undergoes many other additional treatments. This process is acknowledged because
of its ability to stabilize the water together with little production of biomass. Biogas is produced
in the process of bacteria feeding on the biodegradable material during the anaerobic process. In
general, this process converts about 40% - 60% of the dissolved organic solids to methane and
carbon (iv) oxide.
In the biological process (both aerobic and anaerobic), the biomass formed has to be separated
from the liquid stream to obtain the required effluent quality. A secondary settling tank is
therefore used for the solid/liquid separation and this clarification is often the restrictive factor in
effluent quality of biological units (Benefield and Randall, 1980). Further clarification is needed
i.e. tertiary treatment of the wastewater.

2.5.3 Process of biological waste water treatment

1. Preliminary Treatment of Wastewater

This is the first step in treatment of wastewater and the aim is to remove the large debris, the
coarse solids and heavy inorganic material that is contained in the wastewater. This step
comprises of physical operations that include:
 Screening- in this stage there is removal of heavy solids logged in wastewater. Such
materials include paper, plastics, metals etc. and screening helps to avoid damage
and clogging of treatment plant equipment at the later stages.
 Floatation- It is used for removal of suspended solid particles found in the waste water.
 Grit removal- Grit chambers are utilized for slowing down of the flow of waste water.
The purpose for this is to settle out solids like sand, ash, eggshells etc. from the water and
then the solids are removed manually or mechanically.

2. Primary Treatment of Wastewater

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After the preliminary treatment, the waste water is channeled to primary treatment operations.
At this stage the objective is to remove the settleable organic and inorganic solids through
sedimentation and also through the removal of materials that can float (scum) by skimming. It
incorporates the physical and /or chemical procedures for treatment of wastewater. A
sedimentation tank/ primary clarifier is used for removal of many of the suspended solids that
can float or settle. Some of the chemicals used in sedimentation include flocculants and
coagulants. Sludge that settles at this stage to the bottom of the sedimentation tank is called the
primary sludge. It is then collected to undergo further treatment (sludge treatment). In the
primary treatment, about 50-70% of the suspended solids and 35% of BOD will be reduced.
Very few toxic chemicals are removed at this stage.

Secondary Treatment of Wastewater

The effluent from the primary treatment is channeled for secondary treatment. At this stage the
treatment consists of a biological process. The further treatment of the discharge from primary
treatment is to remove the remaining organics and suspended solids in the wastewater(Nazaroff
& Alvarez-Cohen, 2011). The biological treatment process in the secondary treatment is aerobic
and anaerobic as discussed in the section above. Secondary treatment involves biological
treatment processes namely activated sludge process, oxidation pond, bio filters, aerated lagoon
as also discussed. The primary discharge enters the aeration tank and air is mixed with the
sludge. Many microorganisms aid in removal of the biodegradable organic matter. A secondary
sedimentation tank lets the microorganisms and the solid wastes to form clusters and settle. In
this treatment, 80-90% of all the impurities are removed and also a large percentage of
toxic chemicals are removed(Namiiro, 2012).

Tertiary/Advanced Treatment of Wastewater:

This is the final treatment stage for the wastewater. The main purpose is the removal of
particular wastewater constituents that cannot be removed in the previous steps and therefore
increasing the quality of the discharge to higher level. Filtration is utilized to remove higher
degree of the suspended solids which was not possible through primary and secondary screening
and sedimentation. Some of the contaminants removed in this process are heavy metals,
particular toxic chemicals and other pollutants. It has the capability to remove more than 99% of
all the contaminants from sewage thus producing an effluent equivalent to an almost drinking
water quality. It involves disinfection which can be achieved by means of physical sterilizers like
UV light and chemical disinfectants such as chlorine(Form, Effluent, & Licence, 2006).

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 Table 1:Increasing levels of treatment and acceptable levels of human exposure

Increasing Levels of Treatment;

Increasing Acceptable Levels of Human Exposure

Primary Secondary Treatment: Tertiary / Advanced

Treatment: Biological Oxidation, Treatment:
Sedimentation Disinfection Chemical
Coagulation,
Filtration,
Disinfection

No uses Recommended Surface irrigation of Landscape and golf Indirect potable reuse: Groundwater
at this level orchards and vineyards course irrigation recharge of potable aquifer and surface
water reservoir augmentation**
Non-food crop irrigation Toilet flushing
Restricted landscape Vehicle washing
impoundments
Food crop irrigation
Groundwater recharge of
non-potable aquifer** Unrestricted
recreational
Wetlands, wildlife impoundment
habitat, stream
augmentation**
Industrial cooling
processes**

* Suggested uses are based on Guidelines for Water Reuse, developed by U.S. EPA.
** Recommended level of treatment is site-specific.

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2.6 Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)
The idea for combination of the activated sludge process and membrane separation was first
reported by research conducted at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, and Dorr-
Oliver, Inc. Milford, Connecticut, US (Jyoti et al., 2013). Before the 1990s, majority of the
installed MBRs were utilized for industrial water treatment. Submerged membranes development
that was firstly introduced by Yamamoto et al., an increase in the number of MBRs for the
treatment of municipal wastewater has been experienced. The MBR market is currently
undergoing accelerated growth. Membrane bioreactor technology has been recognized in recent
years for the treatment of various types of wastewaters whereas the conventional activated
sludge (CAS) process cannot manage the high quality effluents because of poor sludge
settleability unless tertiary treatment is added(Scott, 2012).

2.6.1 Membrane bioreactor treatment process

Preliminary treatment
Just like in the conventional waste water treatment units, the pretreatment of waste water in an
MBR system is necessary to remove large particles, grease etc. through grit removal and
screening.
A 2mm automated perforated plate spiral screen is fitted to get rid of all the inorganic material
from the wastewater(BusseGT, 2011). The material that has been screened is disposed in an
offsite disposal unit. The screened influent gravity flows into a screened influent lift station
through the perforated screen. This 2mm aperture screen is sized to meet the peak instantaneous
flow requirements and provide the required fine screening necessary to protect the downstream
membranes.
Equalization tank
The equalization tank provides a shield to manage peak inflows into the other tanks of the
wastewater treatment process. It is designed to absorb the peak flows during the peak periods.
The tank is fitted with an external mixer to prevent the settlement of solids and to minimize the
chances of the tank contents from becoming septic(Dumbrell, 1998).

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Anoxic tank
The anoxic tank receives screened influent at a steady flow rate. Denitrification occurs at this
stage. In the absence of oxygen gas, organic materials in the waste water causes the nitrate
reduction of nitrate ions to molecular nitrogen which is released to the atmosphere as gas. The
anoxic tank provides a region of low dissolved oxygen (0-0.5mg/L) for denitrification (i.e.
nitrogen removal) of the wastewater. The tank gets the nitrate abundant recycled mixed liquor
from the aerobic or the membrane tank for this process. The nitrate rich mixed liquor return
mixes with the organic substrate (BOD) which provides the electron donor for the oxidation
reduction reaction. The reduction reaction steps involve nitrate to nitrite, nitric to nitrous oxide
and to nitrogen gas which is released to the atmosphere. The anoxic tank is fitted with a
submersible propeller mixer to keep the tank contents completely mixed and the solids in
suspension. The mixed liquor in the anoxic tank gravity overflows into the Aerobic/MBR tank
for biological oxidation(Milano & Zaerpour, 2014).
C10H1903N + 10NO3- 5N2 + 10CO2+ 3H20 + NH3 + 10OH-
A mixer is fitted to efficiently mix the waste water with the mixed liquor returning from the
membrane filtration tank. High levels of nitrogen in the water poses major environmental
concerns like algae growth and health conditions in humans hence the need for the denitrification
of wastewater.
Aeration tank
The aerobic tank receives a steady flow through gravity of mixed liquor from the anoxic tank.
Oxygen is delivered in the tank by use of air blowers in a diffused aeration system. The aerobic
tank provides for the complete biological nitrification and also the BOD removal from the
wastewater. The nitrification process is a two-step biological process. In the first part of the
process, ammonia (NH4-N) is oxidised to nitrite (NO2-N). The nitrite formed is then oxidised to
nitrate (NO3-N). Fine bubble air diffusers are fitted in this tank and they supply oxygen to the
wastewater. The anaerobic and membrane tank contain MLSS concentration that operates at high
concentrations of 10,000 mg/L and the mixed liquor flows through to the MBR stage for
filtration. Mixed water is then pumped in the membrane tank.

Membrane filtration tank

The Membrane Bio-Reactor (MBR) stage obtains mixed liquor from the aerobic stage. This stage
comprises of the required number membranes (submerged flat sheets/hollow fibers) for
ultrafiltration of activated sludge. The design mixed liquor suspended solids in this tank is
10,000mg/L as mentioned above. The tanks are fitted with coarse bubble diffusers that provide
air scrubbing of the membrane surface to avoid fouling. On the permeate (water that passes
through the membrane) side, a vacuum suction pressure is fitted to draw the clear water past the
membrane. This process provides for separation of the solids that remain in the tank. The trans
membrane pressure (TMP) and permeate flow has to be monitored in order to establish the
permeability of the membrane.

25
Permeate collection tank
The permeate water is conveyed to the permeate tank where it is then distributed to the storage
tank for reuse.

Sludge Tank
Sludge is occasionally wasted from the aerobic and membrane tanks to conserve the design
MLSS(Ching, 2010). The sludge produced is then transferred to a sludge tank for anaerobic
digestion after which it can be converted to biogas(optional).

Figure 7:Schematic diagram of a Membrane Bioreactor.

Types of membranes
Membranes are made from polymer/ inorganic materials. They are composed of small pores on
their surface that can only be viewed using a microscope. Due to their tiny size, the pores only
permit water on the other side of the membrane. This water is called the permeate. The size of
the pores enables the classification of the membranes(Yang, 2013).
Filtration Class Particle Contaminants removed Operating pressure
Capture ranges
Microfiltration 0.1-10 Suspended solids, bacteria, protozoa 0.1-2 bar
(MF)
Ultrafiltration 0.003-0.1 Colloids, proteins, polysaccharides, most 1-5 bar(cross flow)
(UF) bacteria, viruses (partially) 0.2-0.3 bar (dead-end
and submerged)
Nanofiltration 0.001 Viruses, natural organic matter, 5-20 bar
(NF) multivalent ions (including hardness in
water)

26
 Reverse 0.0001 Almost all impurities including 10-100 bar
Osmosis (RO) monovalent ions

The membrane configurations that are utilized in MBR’s are hollow fiber, flat sheet and tubular
membrane. Hollow fiber and flat sheet are submerged in the mixed liquor and the permeate
drawn through the use of vacuum pumps. (Radjenivic et al. 2008). Tubular membranes are
usually placed outside the bioreactor.

Submerged and side stream membranes

There are two main designs for MBR plants, the submerged and side stream. In the submerged
design, the membrane is submerged directly in the bioreactor e.g. the hollow and flat
membranes. In the side stream, the membrane is submerged in a side tank and wastewater
constantly recirculated(Visvanathan et al., 2010). The advantage of the submerged membrane
design is smaller footprint of the plant and lower capital cost due to lower energy requirements
as compared to the side stream membrane bioreactor design.

Figure 8:Submerged and side stream membranes

The first is a submerged configuration with the membrane module immersed in the activated
sludge (Fig. 1a). A suction force is applied to draw the water through the membrane, while the
sludge is retained on the membrane surface.

27
The second is a recirculated configuration with an external membrane unit (Fig. 1b). Mixed
liquor is circulated outside of the reactor to the membrane module, where pressure drives the
separation of water from the sludge. The concentrated sludge is then recycled back into the
reactor. diffuses compressed air within the reactor, providing oxygen to maintain aerobic
conditions. The air bubbles also function to scour the membrane surface and clean the exterior of
the membrane as they rise in the reactor.
The submerged configuration is more commonly used than the recirculated configuration
because it is less energy-intensive and provides a cleaning mechanism to reduce membrane
fouling(Sharrer, Tal, Ferrier, Hankins, & Summerfelt, 2007).

2.7 Membrane bioreactor versus the conventional methods of wastewater

treatment

The complete solids removal, a high disinfection capability, a high rate and high efficiency of
organic removal and small footprint are collective characteristics regardless the type of
wastewater to be treated or the type of commercial process used. (Stephenson et al., 2001). MBR
technology is also used in situations where the need on the quality of effluent surpasses the
capability of CAS(Elokdi, 2007). Lack of space prevents the addition of new treatment units.
The improvement from CAS to MBR can be essential when it comes advance treatment
performances. Along with better understanding of emerging contaminants in wastewater, their
biodegradability, and with their inclusion in new regulations, MBR may become a necessary
upgrade of existing technology in order to fulfill the legal requirements in wastewater treatment
plants(Rousseau & Hooijmans, 2007).

28
Figure 9:Flow diagram of Membrane Bioreactor and conventional biological waste water
treatment.

29
3 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The quantity of domestic waste water produced is 70-80% of design water flow rate. The design
water flow rate in Kenya ranges from 50 – 250 liters/person/day.
Black water (water containing faecal matter) is approximately 30% of domestic waste water
produced(Soomaree, Ragen, & Mudhoo, 2015)

3.1 The components of a biological waste water treatment system

Itcomprises of;
3.1.1 Waste water source
The waste water source is an important parameter so as to connect the waste water generated to
the treatment unit. It is also important to know the biological parameters of the waste water
depending on its waste water source. This aids in choosing the most effective system of
treatment depending on the effluent qualities.
For example, industrial waste has high organic loading and requires biological anaerobic
treatment system.
3.1.2 Waste water collection
Waste water needs to be collected to a central location for mass treatment. Collection systems
include onsite, offsite or partially onsite. Onsite (DEWATS) include toilets for black water
treatment and septic tanks. Offsite treatment involves municipal waste water treatment. Partially
onsite system involves the use of exhaust trucks to collect waste water at an onsite system.
3.1.3 Waste water conveyance system
Once the source and the collection point have been established, a system to transport the waste
water from the source to the collection point is necessitated. It includes use of pipes for
conveyance. Sewer pipes carry contaminated water which is corrosive if it settles in the pipes.
The velocity in the pipes should therefore be self-cleansing in order to avoid the deposition of
solids. Transport of waste water under gravity is recommended other than flow through pressure.
Gravity flow also minimizes leakage. The flow in the pipes is designed to run partially full at the
maximum discharge to ensure no-pressure flow.
3.1.4 Waste water treatment
This encompasses the primary, secondary and tertiary treatment of the waste water in various
tanks as discussed in detail in section 2.1.3.
3.1.5 Storage system
Treated water to be used for recycling is stored temporarily in a storage tank for uses such as
irrigation, landscaping etc.

3.2 Design considerations when designing MBR

1. Pre-clarification through screening of solids should be used to reduce the aeration rate
requirement hence lower operational costs.
2. The level of DO is 0.5 mg in anoxic tank for complete denitrification and 1.0- 2.5 mg/L
in the aerobic tank for complete nitrification to occur.
30
3. The MLSS concentration in the MBR should range from 4,000 mg/L – 10,000 mg/L.
4. The design HRT should be between 2-16 hours.
5. The design SRT should be between 10-25 days.
6. The tank should have a minimum of 0.5 m freeboard at the maximum liquid level
7. The minimum oxygen requirement should be 0.6 kg / kg of influent BOD5 and 2 kg/ kg
of influent NH3-N to the MBR.
8. The MBR should be designed for an average daily net flux of not more than 57 L/day/m2
of membrane area.
9. Air scouring should be at least 0.2 – 1.1 L/min of air / 0.09 m2 of membrane area.

31
4 METHODOLOGY
4.1 Generation of the design concept
Problem identification

Assessment of alternatives

Data collection

Design of system components

Site analysis

Quantification of waste water

used

Quality determination of grey

water through lab testing

Design of equalization tank, anoxic tank,

aeration tank, membrane tank

32
 AutoCAD drawings

Figure 10:Design methodology flow diagram.

4.2 Design parameters of membrane bioreactor components

4.2.1 Equalization tank
Water usage is higher during certain times and it is important to absorb the peak flows during the
peak periods.

Peak Factor
14
PF = 1 +
4+√𝑃
Where P is design contributing population in thousands
𝑃𝐹∗𝑄
Peak hourly flow =
24
Peak daily flow = Peak hourly flow * 24
Volume of tank = L*W*D
3W2 = Q
Where Q = Peak hourly flow

4.2.2 Anoxic Tank volume

Using De-Nitrification Rate:
𝑇𝑁𝑐 ∗ 𝑄
V= 𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆∗𝑅
[ 𝑅+1 ∗ 𝐷𝑁𝑅]

Where;
V = Required volume of aeration tank.
TNc. = Influent T-N concentration
Q = Influent flowrate
MLSS: Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids concentration in aeration tank

33
DNR = De-nitrification Rate
R = Recirculation rate

4.2.3 Aeration Tank volume

Using BOD Loading:
𝐵𝑂𝐷𝑐 ∗𝑄
V=
𝐵𝑂𝐷𝐿

Where;
V = Required volume of aeration tank
BODc = Influent BOD concentration
Q = Influent flowrate
BODL = BOD loading

Using Nitrification Rate:

𝑇𝑁𝑐 ∗ 𝑄
V= 𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆∗𝑅
[ ∗ 𝑁𝑅]
𝑅+1

Where;
V = Required volume of aeration tank.
TNc = Influent T-N concentration
Q = Influent flowrate.
MLSS = Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids concentration in aeration tank
NR = Nitrification Rate.

4.2.4 Membrane tank volume

V = Aeration tank volume – Pre-aeration tank volume

Recycle ratio

34
 QR Membrane−Q NET
RR =
QNET
𝑄𝑅
= -1
𝑄𝑁𝐸𝑇

Where,
RR = Recycle Ratio
QNET = Net Permeate Rate

4.2.5 Hydraulic Retention Time

The hydraulic retention time (HRT) is calculated using the formula:
𝑉
HRT =
𝑄𝑁𝐸𝑇∗60

Where;
HRT = Hydraulic retention time (hours)
V = MBR volume (L)

𝑇𝑜𝑛−𝑇𝑜𝑓𝑓
Qnet =
𝑄𝑝
Where Ton = Time MBR is in production
Toff = Time MBR is in relaxation
Qp = Permeate flow rate

4.2.6 Sludge retention time

𝑉∗ 𝑋𝑅
SRT =
𝑄𝑊∗ 𝑋𝑊
Assuming that XR is equal to XW:

35
 𝑉
SRT =
𝑄𝑊
Where;
SRT = sludge retention time (days)
XR = volatile suspended solids in the reactor (mg/L)
XW = volatile suspended solids in the waste stream (mg/L)
QW = waste stream flow rate (m3/day)
Or;
Design SRT
= FS * TSRT
𝑇𝑁 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
Where; FS =
𝑇𝑁 𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒
= 1.5
TRST = Theoretical SRT
1
=
µ
Where µ is specific nitrification rate
Membrane Surface Area
𝑄 𝐼𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑡
A= 𝐽

Where;
A = Membrane area (m2)
J = Membrane flux (L/day/m2)

Where;
J = Membrane flux (L/day/m2)
A = Total membrane surface area (m2)

4.2.7 Calculating Required Oxygen

(Qoxy)= (Qair (l/min)) x (ξ) x (a) x 0.227 Kg O2/m3

36
Where;
ξ is oxygen dissolving efficiency
a is alpha factor

Specific air demand

𝑄𝑎
SAD =
𝐴𝑚
Where;
Qa = Membrane aeration rate (m3/hr)
Am = Total membrane surface area (m2)

37
5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
5.1 Site analysis
North Gate School is located in Kagundo town, Machakos County in Kenya. It is located
approximately 70 km from Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. It is located 1.8 Km from
Kangundo road at Nimrod bus station.

Figure 11:Photo showing North Gate School.

5.1.1 Land cover

38
The vegetation is comprised of grass and short shrubs indicates the area is an arid and semiarid
area.

Figure 12:Photo showing vegetation in the school environs.

5.1.2 Geology and soils

The soils found in the school and surrounding area is black cotton soil which is classified as an
igneous rock.

Figure 13:Photo showing soils in the school.

39
5.1.3 Population
The school has a capacity of 255. The students are 225 in number while the staff who reside in
the school compound are 30.

State of waste water treatment at the school

The waste water treatment system has been experiencing overflows in recent times since the
expansion of the school from a population of 145 to 255 in 2017.

Figure 14:Overflowing manhole

The activated sludge system occupies a surface area of 96 km2. Currently, water is chemically
treated and pumped after a few days to the farm due to the overflows but this is a temporal
solution to the overflows. The water was designed to undergo primary and secondary treatment
but due to no maintenance, the water in all compartments has mixed as shown in the diagram
below. The water contains ordour which causes air pollution. Black water is first passed through
a septic tank before being pumped into the system after 14 days.

40
Figure 15:Photo showing waste water treatment at the school.

5.2 Quantity of water supplied daily

On average, 20,000 liters of water is pumped from the school’s borehole every day.

5.2.1 Average volume of water used per person per day

𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑑
=
𝑃𝑜𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

20,000
=
255

= 78.43 L/person/day
5.2.2 Quantification of waste water produced.
Black water
Black water (water containing faecal matter) is approximately 30% of domestic waste water
produced(Soomaree, Ragen, & Mudhoo, 2015)

41
 30
= ∗ 20,000
100

= 6,000 L/day
Grey water
Grey water is approximately 50% of domestic waste water produced ( Mayer et al. 1999).
50
= * 20,000
100

= 10,000 L/day
Total waste water produced
= Black water + grey water
= 6,000 L/day + 10,000 L/day
= 16,000 L/day
= 16 m3/day

5.3 Quality determination of waste water

Secondary data was used to determine the waste water constituents and their concentrations.
Weak Medium Strong
TS 350 700 1200
TDS 250 500 850
TSS 100 200 350
N 20 40 85
P 6 10 20
Cl 30 50 100
Alkalinity 50 100 200
Grease 50 100 150
BOD 100 200 300
COD 250 430 800

42
5.4 Design parameters of MBR
5.4.1 Equalization tank volume
14
PF = 1 +
4+√𝑃
P = Design contributing population in thousands
Population of the school = 255
255
P=
1000
= 0.255
Peak Factor
14
PF = 1 +
4+√𝑃
14
=1+ 1+
4+√0.255
= 4.5
~4
𝑃𝐹∗𝑄
Peak hourly flow =
24
Where Q = greywater produced per day
= 16 m3
Using a design flow twice of the current Q to cater for increased waste water generated,
4∗32
Peak hourly flow =
24
= 5.33
4W2 = Q (Peak hourly flow)
= 5.33
Width (W) = 1.2 m
Length to width ratio, L: W = 3:1
Length (L) = 3.5 m
Selected height = 2.0 m

43
5.4.2 Anoxic tank volume
𝑇𝑁𝑐 ∗ 𝑄
V = 𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆∗𝑅
[ 𝑅+1 ∗ 𝐷𝑁𝑅]

TN Concentration in the waste water from table 4. = 20 mg/L

Using a design Q twice the current waste water produced = 16 m3 * 3
= 48 m3
20 ∗ 32
V= 5000∗5
[ ∗ 0.02]
5+1

= 8 m3
Taking depth as 2 m + freeboard 0.5 m
Depth = 2.5 m
L: W = 3
Length (L) = 3 m
Width (W) = 1.3 m
New computed volume with the freeboard,
V = (3 * 1.3 * 2.5) m3
= 9.75 m3

5.4.3 Aeration tank volume

𝑇𝑁𝑐 ∗ 𝑄
V = 𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆∗𝑅
[ 𝑅+1 ∗ 𝑁𝑅]

TN = 20 mg/L
Q = 32 m3
MLSS = 5,000 mg/L
R=5
NR = 0.02
20 ∗ 32
V= 5000∗5
[ 5+1 ∗ 0.02]

44
= 8 m3
Volume of aeration tank = Volume of anoxic tank

New computed volume with the freeboard,

V = (3 * 1.3 * 2.5) m3
= 9.75 m3

Checking the volume for future design using various parameters;

Case 1
With Q = 32 m3/day
MLSS = 5,000 mg/L
R= 3
NR = 0.02
𝑇𝑁𝑐 ∗ 𝑄
V= 𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆∗𝑅
[ 𝑅+1 ∗ 𝑁𝑅]

20 ∗ 32
Volume of aeration/anoxic tank will be; V = 5,000∗3
[ 3+1 ∗ 0.02]

= 8.5 m3

Case 2
Using the design volume 8m3 and finding Q when
MLSS = 10,000 mg/L
R=5
NR = 0.02

𝑇𝑁𝑐 ∗ 𝑄
V= 𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆∗𝑅
[ 𝑅+1 ∗ 𝑁𝑅]

45
 20 ∗ 𝑄
8= 10,000∗5
[ ∗ 0.02]
5+1

Q = 66.7 m3/ day

These calculations show that the design volume can handle up to 4 times its current design waste
water flow rate.

5.4.4 Membrane tank

The size is dependent on the membrane type that is going to be usd
Selection of membrane
Table 2:Membrane types and uses

Type Uses Example of application

A Designed to be placed in Night soil treatment facilities
deep water Combined type
E Standard type Combined type
Wastewater reuse facility
Industrial wastewater
F Designed to be placed in Waste water reuse facility
shallow water

Number of cartridges (panels)

Number of cartridges required = Q/S/F
Where;
Q= Average daily flowrate (m3/day)
S= Effective area of membrane cartridge (m2) (0.8 m2)
F = Design flux rate for average daily flowrate (m3/m2/d)
Taking F = 0.5
Number of cartridges = 32/0.8/0.5
= 70

Selection of units

46
Table 3: Membrane type and aeration supply

Height (mm) Aeration supply

(L/min/cartridge)
Type Membrane Application Min. Max. Remarks
case +
Diffuser case
EK 2500+1000 Deep water 7 10 Double deck
(>=4.2m) unit
AS 1000+1500 Deep water 10 15 Single deck unit
S 1000+1000 As standard 10 15 Single deck unit
FS 1000+500 Shallow 12.5 20 Single deck unit
water

FS 75 is selected (75 cartridges and is fitted in shallow water)

The height from the table = 1.5 m
The width = 1.5 m
The surface area = 1.5 m * 1.5 m
= 2.25 m2
If Q doubles to 64 m3
The number of cartridges = 64/0.8/0.5
= 160
FS 200 would be selected
The height = 1.5m
The width = 3 m
Designing the membrane tank for an upgrade in the type of membrane in the event of tripling of
the waste water from the current waste demand, then the length is selected as 3 m.
The width = 1.3 m
The depth = 2.5 m

5.4.5 Calculating required oxygen

(Qoxy)= (Qair (l/min)) x (ξ) x (a) x 0.227 Kg O2/m3

47
Table 4:Oxygen requirement based on depth

Water depth 1 2 3 4 5
Oxygen dissolving efficiency (%) ξ 2 3.5 5 6 7
MLSS (%) 0 0.5 1 1.5 2
Alpha factor (a) 1.0 0.95 0.85 0.75 0.6

With a 1 FS 75 membrane at a depth of approximately 2 m,

Q(oxy) = (1*75*10L/min) * 3.5 % * 0.95 *0.227 kg O2/m3
= 5.66 kg/day of 02

5.4.6 Calculating pipe sizes

This depends on the membrane unit chosen for the permeate and diffuser port as shown in the
table below.
Table 5:Pipe selection by membrane type

Membrane Unit Permeate Port Diffuser port

FS50 ND40 ND40
ES75,FS75,AS100,ES100 ND50 ND50
AS125,ES125,AS150 ND50 ND75
ES200 ND65 ND75
EK300 ND50*2 ND75
EK400 ND65*2 ND75

For FS 75, the pipes selected are;

ND50- Permeate port
ND40- Diffuser port

5.4.7 Hydraulic Retention Time

HRT = 3 hours + 8 hours (equalization tank)

48
5.4.8 Sludge retention time
Nitrification rate is dependent on sludge retention time
1
Theoretical SRT =
µ
= 10.32
Where µ is specific nitrification rate
Design SRT
= FS * TSRT
𝑇𝑁 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
FS =
𝑇𝑁 𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒
= 1.5
Therefore; SRT = 1.5* 10.3
= 15 days

5.5 Effluent quality

The MBR system produces high quality effluent. Efficiently treated water has the following
characteristics.

Table 6:Effluent characteristics of waste water in an MBR

Parameter Unit Value

BOD mg/L <2
TSS mg/L <1
Ammonical Nitrogen as mg/L <0.5
NH3-N
Nitrogen as TKN mg/L <1
Faecal Coliform Count MPN/100ml <2
PH 6.8-7.8

5.6 Calculating MBR Efficiency

5.6.1 BOD removal
𝐵𝑂𝐷 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡−𝐵𝑂𝐷 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡
Efficiency = ∗ 100%
𝐵𝑂𝐷 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡

49
 100−2
= ∗ 100%
100

= 98 %
5.6.2 Nitrogen removal
𝑇𝐾𝑁 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡−𝑇𝐾𝑁 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡
Efficiency = ∗ 100%
𝑇𝐾𝑁 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡

20−2
= ∗ 100%
20

= 90%
5.6.3 TSS removal
𝑇𝑆𝑆 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡−𝑇𝑆𝑆 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡
Efficiency = ∗ 100%
𝑇𝑆𝑆 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡

100−1
= ∗ 100%
100

= 99 %

5.7 Operation and maintenance

After installation of the MBR, it is important to properly maintain the system so as to obtain the
required effluent and also to prolong the life of the Bioreactor and its components.
Table 7:Operation and maintenance of MBR

Frequency Maintenance required

Daily None except where there is need for sludge removal
Weekly Sampling of MLSS
Fortnightly/monthly Visual checking of the final effluent
Checking on the collection at the screening
Checking of the production of MLSS and sludge
Six-monthly Chemical cleaning of the membrane unit
Annually Draining the membrane tank to visually check on the membrane
unit.
Every 5 years Inspecting membrane unit panels for wear and tear due to fouling.
Cleaning and replacing the membrane unit if necessary.

5.8 Summary of results

Table 8: Table of results summary
Table of results summary

50
 Quantity of grey water (m3/day)

Design water supply Water pumped from borehole 20,000 L/day

Black water 30% of design water supply
30 6,000 L
=100 ∗ 20,000

Grey water 50 % of design water supply 10,000 L

50
=100 ∗ 20,000

Fine screen < 10mm

Equalization tank

Peak Factor (PF) Harmon’s equation PF = 1 + 4

14
4+√𝑃

P=225
Peak Hourly flow 𝑃𝐹∗𝑄 5.33 m3/day
=
24
Volume L* W*D = 11.4 m3

Depth, D 2.5 m

Width, W 3W2 = 5.33 1.3 m

Length, L L:W = 3:1 3.5 m
Detention time 8 hrs

Anoxic Tank

Volume 𝑇𝑁𝑐 ∗ 𝑄 8 m3
V= 𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆∗𝑅
[ 𝑅+1 ∗ 𝐷𝑁𝑅]

Freeboard 0.5m

Depth, d 2.0 m

Length, L 3.0 m

51
Width, W L:W = 3:1 1.3 m

Aerobic Tank

Volume 𝑇𝑁𝑐 ∗ 𝑄 8 m3
V= 𝑀𝐿𝑆𝑆∗𝑅
[ 𝑅+1 ∗ 𝑁𝑅]

Freeboard 0.5 m

Depth, d 2.0 m

Length, L 3.0 m

Width, W L:W = 3:1 1.3 m

Membrane tank

Membrane selected FS

Number of catridges = Q/S/F 70

Membrane Height FS 75 1.5 m

Membrane Width 1.5 m

Membrane tank volume 8 m3

Freeboard 0.5 m

Depth, d 2.0 m

Length, L 3.0 m

Width, W L:W = 3:1 1.3 m

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 Total MBR Volume Anoxic tank volume + = 29.25 m3
Membrane Tank Volume
Freeboard 0.5 m

Depth, d 2.0 m

Length, L 12.5 m

Width L:W = 3:1 1.3 m

MBR efficiency

BOD Removal 𝐵𝑂𝐷 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡−𝐵𝑂𝐷 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡 98%

= ∗
𝐵𝑂𝐷 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡
100%
Nitrogen Removal = 𝑇𝐾𝑁 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡 − 𝑇𝐾𝑁 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡 90 %
𝑇𝐾𝑁 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡
∗ 100%
TSS Removal 𝑇𝑆𝑆 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡−𝑇𝑆𝑆 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡 99%
= ∗
𝑇𝑆𝑆 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑡
100%

5.9 Cost benefit analysis

5.9.1 Capital cost
The cost of MBR systems has been high as compared to the conventional systems but this is
slowly changing with the increased application of MBR for waste water treatment and recycling.
The costs of membranes have significantly reduced with time and also there are more
competitors in the production field. In some cases, the capital cost of MBR systems can be lower
as MBR’s have a lower land requirement compared to conventional methods.

5.9.2 Operational costs

The operational costs are a bit higher compared to conventional systems because of higher
energy costs required to counter membrane fouling. The air needed is twice the amount needed
to maintain aeration in the conventional activated sludge system. However, the sludge retention
time is longer than in the conventional system hence the operation costs can be partially offset.

53
Figure 16:Operational energy demand.

The figure above shows the operational energy demand of an MBR.

The primary energy demand is energy for aeration. Pumping is the secondary energy demand.
For one to get the most cost effective and energy sufficient system, one has to keenly look into
the opportunities that are related to design, operations and equipment.
5.9.3 Energy demand and power requirement
Processes in the MBR that contribute to energy costs are aeration, sludge transfer and permeate
production. For aeration, 0.025 kWh/ m3 of air is consumed. For pumping, 0.016 kWh/m3 is
consumed for internal recirculation, membrane recirculation and sludge pumping. Power
requirement for mixer is 8 W/m3(Verrecht et. al. 2008)
On average specific energy requirement in an MBR is 0.6 – 1.2 kWh/m3 of the MBR.

5.10 Fixed cost of the MBR

No. DESCRIPTION QUANTITIES PERIOD UNIT TOTAL

(Ksh.) COST
(Ksh)

54
 1. FS 75 membrane 1 1,167,700 1,167,700

2. Air blower 3 5,000 15,000

3. Labour 10 600 6,000
4. Pump 2 4,000 8,000
5. Equipment 200,000
installation
6. Fine Screen 1 35,000

6 Miscellaneous 200,000

1,631,200

5.11 Operational cost

Power requirement
Specific energy consumption = 0.6-1.2 kWh/m3 MBR Volume
MBR Volume (minus equalization tank) = L*W*D
= 9 m * 1.3 m *2.5 m
= 29.25 m3
If;
0.6 kWh = 1m3
P = 0.6 * 29.25
= 12.75 kWh
On average, 1 kWh is 20 Ksh
Cost of 12.75 kWh = 12.95 kWh * 20
= Ksh 255
Hours the MBR is in operation = 9 hours
Cost of power/day = 9 * Ksh 225
= Ksh 2,025

55
It is estimated that operational costs of an MBR is $ 1.77 ~ Ksh 177 per 3,785 L of waste water
treated per day(Water Environment Research Institute).
For Q = 16,000 L/day the
16,000
Operational cost = ∗ 𝐾𝑠ℎ 177
3785

= Ksh 748 / day

Per annum (minus the days the school is on holidays),
Operational cost = Ksh 748 * 240
= Ksh 179,520
Assuming power requirement is not included in the operational cost then,
Total cost / day = Ksh 748 + Ksh 2,025
= Ksh 2,773
Benefit analysis
Assuming the amount of recycled water is 65% (10,000L) on the lower limit:
When there is shortage of water, the school purchases salty water at Ksh 6500 / 10,000 L.
Therefore,
1 L = Ksh 0.65
From the 240 school days on average, assuming for 150 days they buy water when borehole
supply isn’t sufficient,
Total amount used to buy 10,000 L of water = 0.65 * 10,000 * 150
= Ksh. 975,000
Total operating cost of the MBR in 150 days = Ksh 2,773 * 150
= Ksh 415,950 for 10,000L recycled/ day
After the initial investment, the amount saved annually from recycling water is
= Ksh. 975,000 – Ksh. 415,950
= Ksh. 559,050
With an increased system capacity, the amount saved will be more.

56
5.12 Discussion
From the data obtained on quantity of waste water produced at the school and its components,
the MBR volume was calculated to be 29.25 m3. The design flow rate used was 32 m3 per day,
double the current flow rate. This was done in order to ensure the system had sufficient capacity
to handle an increase of waste water produced as the school expands in the future. From
calculations, varying various parameters such as doubling the MLSS concentration to 10,000
mg/L, the system was found to have a capacity of handling up to 67 m3 daily waste water flow
rate. The membrane type selected was Fibre Sheet membrane with 75 catridges to handle the
current flow rate. The HRT was obtained to be 3 hours and SRT 10 days. Daily power
requirements were obtained as 12.75 Kw for aeration, pumping and mixing. The efficiency of the
MBR was calculated to be 98% for BOD removal, 90% for Nitrogen and 99% for Total
Suspended Solids.

57
6 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
6.1 Conclusion
From the analysis of the results, the project was a success as the objectives were met. The overall
objective was to design an MBR for North Gate school for waste water treatment. The volume of
the MBR was obtained from calculations. The design volume will cater for increased waste
water generated at the school without having to increase the size of the bioreactor. From the
benefit cost analysis, the MBR system proved from calculations that recycling the water for
purposes such as toilet flushing, irrigation of school farm and landscape irrigation will cut the
costs of pumping water and also from purchasing water when the borehole cannot meet the
demand. This will go a long way in helping in management of the waste water at the school for a
long time.

6.2 Challenges encountered

In carrying out this project, some of the challenges encountered were;
1. Inadequate funds to carry out the laboratory testing of the waste water.
2. Inadequate information on design specifications of different components of the MBR
which is highly specialized.
3. Lack of design drawings of the bioreactor that would help in detailed design.

6.3 Recommendations
1. The upgrade of the conventional activated sludge process to the MBR system of waste
treatment at the school as the MBR is cost effective, provides recycled water for use and
uses a smaller footprint.
2. The MBR is a highly specified system therefore an experts input would be required to
add onto the analysis done before the implementation.
3. A comprehensive bill of quantities before implementation in order to avoid
underestimation of the investment cost that would hamper the implementation of the
project.
4. Use of solar for pumping and blower requirements to cut down on cost of electricity.
5. Use of the sludge produced to provide energy for cooking at the school.

58
7 REFERENCES

1.BusseGT. (2011). Small scale sewage treatment system with membrane bioreactor technology.
2. Ching, K. F. (2010). Design and Operation of MBR Type Sewage Treatment Plant at Lo Wu
Correctional Institution , Hong Kong, 1–9.
3. Dumbrell, K. (1998). Design and Control of Equalization Tanks, (November).
4.Elokdi, H. (2007). Membrane Biological Reactor Design, Operations and Maintenance, 971(0).
5.Form, A., Effluent, F. O. R., & Licence, D. (2006). WATER QUALITY REGULATIONS
APPLICATION FORM FOR EFFLUENT DISCHARGE LICENCE WATER QUALITY
LICENSING GUIDANCE PACK a ) Guidelines to Filling in Application Form for Effluent
Discharge Licence b ) Fourth Schedule Monitoring Guide for Discharge into the Enviro, 1–
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7.Namiiro, A. (2012). Assessment of Membrane Bioreactor and Pre-precipitation Processes for
Wastewater Re-use in Agriculture.
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from https://engineering.dartmouth.edu/~d30345d/courses/engs37/ActivatedSludge.pdf
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treatment. SWITCH Training-UNESCO IHE, 1–16.
11.Scott, S. (2012). Application of Membrane Bioreactor Technology to Wastewater Treatment
and Reuse. Eng.Iastate.Edu, (Figure 1). Retrieved from
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12.Sharrer, M. J., Tal, Y., Ferrier, D., Hankins, J. A., & Summerfelt, S. T. (2007). Membrane
biological reactor treatment of a saline backwash flow from a recirculating aquaculture
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(October). https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.3503.4327
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8 APPENDICES
Appendice A: Membrane Bioreactor Cross-section

60
Appendix B

Appendix C

61
Appendix E

Appendice F

62