An application of membrane bio-reactor process for the wastewater treatment of Qingdao International Airport

A membrane bio-reactor (MBR) process was used as a backbone treatment component at the Qingdao International Airport Wastewater Treatment Station (WWTS) Qingdao, China, to biologically remove COD, nitrogen and phosphorus. This paper describes the design of the MBR as well as the operating results of the station. The design of the MBR emphasized efficiency, simplicity, reliability, low construction and O&M costs, and low land requirement. The WWTS was commissioned and formally put into operation in 2002. The two years influent BOD5, COD, SS, T-N and T-P averaged at 102, 208, 160, 36.2 and 1.7 mg/L respectively. The final treated effluent BOD5, COD, SS, T-N and T-P for the same period averaged 5.2, 17.3, 4 , 11.6 and 0.4 mg/L respectively. In comparison with the national effluent standard requirements for BOD5, SS, T-N and T-P of less than 0.8, 6, 3.4 and 0.12 mg/L respectively, the two years operating results of the WWTS demonstrate that the MBR process is both effective and efficient in meeting the water discharge and reuse quality requirements at the airport.