Numerical modeling of an electrically enhanced membrane bioreactor (MBER) treating medium-strength wastewater

• A numerical model of an electrically enhanced membrane bioreactor was developed.
• The removal efficiencies of organics, nutrients, and metals were investigated.
• The modeling results were in agreement with the experimental data.

In this paper, a numerical model of an electrically enhanced membrane bioreactor (MBER) was developed. MBER is a reactor that combines biological decomposition, membrane filtration and electrocoagulation of wastewater pollutants in a hybrid unit. To assess its design, the final contents and removal efficiencies of organics, nutrients, and metals were carried out using varying influent compositions. In a 60-day test of a laboratory-scale MBER, experimental results were used to calibrate and validate the model. The modeling results were in agreement with the experimental data and showed that the MBER can remove 99% of total phosphorus (TP), 99.9% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), 91% of total nitrogen (TN), 79% of nickel (Ni), 89% of iron (Fe), and 80% of chromium (Cr), using a current density of 15 A/m2 intermittently supplied in a cycle of 5 min ON and 15 min OFF.