Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

In many places in North America the search for high quality of effluent, particularly phosphorus, calls for the use of chemicals. In Canada and the Canadian North low wastewater temperatures challenge the designer of biological plants in addition to the demand for an infrequent-maintenance process that will provide the highest effluent quality without the chemicals, while removing pathogens, hazardous compounds and nutrients. Present methods of treatment in remote areas are often inadequate even though the plants often discharge the effluent into the same receiver from which the community draws drinking water. It is proposed to develop a new reactor technology that combines biological treatment and membrane solids separation with electrochemical processes, that would solve the problem of attaining high effluent quality in the cold climate conditions. An electrokinetic membrane bioreactor (EKMBR) is developed that will remove organic matter, most pathogens, nitrogen and phosphorus and solids as well as endocrine disrupters such as hormones and heavy metals, leading to superior effluent quality without addition of chemicals, while minimizing the amount of sludge generated. The EKMBR process development will include optimization of biological treatment, minimization of the electrical current density for removal of phosphorus and organics and in particular decreasing the fouling of the membrane by eliminating the colloidal fraction, partially responsible for fouling, which continues to be the key operational problem of membrane-based biological systems.   The Project will enhance Canada's economy by providing cutting edge technology which will discharge much cleaner effluent at lower costs and without the use of chemicals. The reactor is also aiming at the emerging market of the limit of treatment (LoT) wastewater plants, recently proposed in case of fragile or arid locations in USA and threatened lakes in southern Canada. There will be three progressively scaled-up facilites proposed with the largest pilot tested at the municipal wastewater treatment plant in Montreal.