Hybrid membrane bioreactor (MBR) concepts for removal of micropollutants (MPs) from municipal wastewater

Project ID: 
ESR11
Home institution: 
RWTH
Host institution: 
UGent
Start date: 
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Duration: 
36 months
Main supervisor(s): 
Matthias Wessling
Cosupervisor(s): 
Miriam Agler-Rosenbaum
Gijs Du Laing
Kristof Demeestere
Objectives and expected results: 

Due to limited degradation capability of conventional wastewater treatment plants including the existing MBRs, part of the MPs are discharged into the environment. In future, more stringent discharge criteria regarding the MPs concentrations in treated municipal wastewater are expected, so that significant enhancement of existing MBR concepts and development of new MBR technologies are required. Thus, the main objective of the of the research project is to understand how to optimize the membrane bioreactors (MBR) for more effective removal of micropollutants, facilitating water reuse and recovery of resources, products.

The expected results will be:

  • The understanding of the degradation and removal of micropollutants by interaction between activated sludge biology and integrated active carbon and ozone treatment, respectively;
  • Identification of the potential to optimize existing commercial MBR concepts to deal with increasing micropollutant concentrations in municipal waste water on one hand and increasingly stringent reuse and discharge standards on the other hand.
Planned secondment(s): 

n the beginning of the project a 1 month secondment at Ghent University for the training on micropollutant analysis is planned. The required MPs analysis during the project will be carried out also at Ghent University. This work will be done in several shorter periods in the labs of Ghent University as well. Furthermore, in the first year a 2-months internship at Microdyn-Nadir for pilot-plant design and construction and several short-time internships at Erftverband (WWTP Nord-Kanal Kaarst) for experimental working with real waste water are planned.

Financing: 
The PhD scholarships are financed at 100% employment according to the MSCA-ITN Program
Specific entry requirements: 

The candidate should be fluent in English; a background in Chemical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering or similar fields is requested. Basic knowledge of German and in Environmental Engineering or other relevant areas are desired.

Additional documents to supply: 

After selection, the candidate needs to provide originals or certified translations of degree certificates and transcripts of his home institutions in German or English language for admission to PhD program of RWTH Aachen University.

Contact: 

For more information on the project, please contact Süleyman Yüce (Sueleyman.Yuece@avt.rwth-aachen.de).