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.