External view of the Rewaise-AnMBR container for sewer mining installed in Vigo
The Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AnMBR), pilot plant was successfully installed in Vigo Living Lab during 2022. Its main elements are an anaerobic digester, where biogas is produced (total volume 4 m3), and a hollow-fibre ultrafiltration module (28 m2), which separates the high-quality effluent from the anaerobic sludge. This alternative smart water system is aimed at increasing the efficiency of existing water treatment plants and recovering resources from wastewater to be used as fertilisers, for biogas production and water reuse.
After sensors calibration and electrical equipment adjustments, the reactor was seeded in the Spring of 2023 with sludge from the anaerobic digester of a local Wastewater Treatment Plant. It has been running since then, treating urban wastewater from the Stellantis Car Factory, and a stable biogas production has been reached, which has an average methane concentration of 78%.
The teams of Aqualia and University of Valencia are currently working in the study of the membrane filtration process, in order to optimize the related operational parameters and protocols with the objective to achieve the maximum environmental and economic efficiency. During the next months, crucial data will be collected which will allow REWAISE team to define the best strategy to reduce costs (membrane replacement and cleaning, agitation…) and increase treatment capacity.
Biogas sampling and analysis in the AnMBR reactor
The teams of Aqualia and University of Valencia are currently working in the study of the membrane filtration process, in order to optimize the related operational parameters and protocols with the objective to achieve the maximum environmental and economic efficiency. During the next months, crucial data will be collected which will allow REWAISE team to define the best strategy to reduce costs (membrane replacement and cleaning, agitation…) and increase treatment capacity.
View (from left to right) of the anaerobic reactor, membranes tank, permeate pump and treated water storage tank
Quality of reclaimed water is analysed to guarantee the achievement of the requirements for water reuse, including pathogens removal. In addition, recovery of the dissolved methane in the permeate using contactor membranes is going to be studied, to further reduce the greenhouse emission footprint of the process.
Unit for recovery of the dissolved methane using a membrane contactor
