Apparatus Having A Bioreactor And Membrane Filtration Module For Treatment Of An Incoming Fluid

Abstract

An apparatus for treatment of an incoming fluid, comprising a bioreactor with a basin ( 2 ) with a fluid space and a membrane filtration module ( 12 ) comprising a housing ( 13 ) with one or more incorporated membranes ( 14 ), an inlet side, a permeate side and a retentate side, wherein the housing ( 13 ) delimits a connection chamber ( 18 ) on the inlet side of the membranes ( 14 ) into which a fluid inlet line ( 10 ) discharges which is connected to the fluid space of the basin ( 2 ). A closable flushing discharge line ( 20 ) is provided which is connected on one side to the connection chamber ( 18 ) and on the other side discharges outside the fluid space. A fluid mixture feed-through line from the basin to the connection chamber is closable, and a control unit ( 23 ) is provided for periodically closing the fluid mixture feed-through line and opening the flushing discharge line ( 20 ), and vice versa, for periodic flushing of at least the inlet side of the membranes ( 14 ) and the connection chamber ( 18 ) disposed underneath it.

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
   
   
       37 . An apparatus for treatment of an incoming fluid, comprising:
 a bioreactor with a basin with a fluid space that is meant to be at least partially filled with a treatment fluid;   a fluid feed line discharging into the basin for feeding, during operation, the incoming fluid to the treatment fluid and mixing and treating it with the latter so as to obtain a fluid mixture; and   a membrane filtration module comprising a housing with one or more incorporated membranes, an inlet side, a permeate side and a retentate side,   wherein   the housing delimits a connection chamber on the inlet side of the membranes into which housing a fluid inlet line discharges which is connected to the fluid space of the basin,   the housing further comprises a permeate discharge line connected to the permeate side and a retentate discharge line connected to the retentate side,   a closable flushing discharge line is provided which is connected on one side to the connection chamber and on the other side discharges outside the fluid space, and   a fluid mixture feed-through line from the basin to the housing is closable,   the fluid inlet line discharges into the connection chamber to which the closable flushing discharge line is also connected, and   a control unit is provided for periodically closing the fluid mixture feed-through line and opening the flushing discharge line, and vice versa, for periodic flushing of at least the inlet side of the membranes and the connection chamber disposed underneath it.   
   
   
       38 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the closable fluid mixture feed-through line is formed by the fluid inlet line which is provided with a closing element and which discharges into the connection chamber. 
   
   
       39 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein a flushing liquid feed line controllable by the control unit is connected to the permeate side of the membrane filtration module. 
   
   
       40 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein a flushing liquid feed line controllable by the control unit is connected to the retentate side of the membrane filtration module. 
   
   
       41 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein an external flushing liquid feed line controllable by the control unit is connected to the closable fluid mixture feed-through line. 
   
   
       42 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the flushing discharge line discharges into a settling container. 
   
   
       43 . The apparatus according to  claim 42 , wherein the settling container is provided with a sediment discharge line leading back to the basin. 
   
   
       44 . The apparatus according to  claim 43 , wherein the sediment discharge line from the settling container to the basin passes through a filter. 
   
   
       45 . The apparatus according to  claim 42 , wherein the settling container is provided with a sediment discharge line to an external system other than the basin. 
   
   
       46 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the retentate discharge line leads back to the basin. 
   
   
       47 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein first gas distribution means are provided which discharge at the bottom of the fluid space of the basin. 
   
   
       48 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein second gas distribution means are provided which discharge into the connection chamber of the membrane filtration module. 
   
   
       49 . The apparatus according to  claim 48 , wherein a flushing liquid feed line controllable by the control unit is connected to the gas distribution means. 
   
   
       50 . The apparatus according to  claim 49 , wherein a compressed air line is connected to the flushing liquid feed line. 
   
   
       51 . The apparatus according to  claim 50 , wherein a line carrying an external flushing liquid is connected to the flushing liquid feed line. 
   
   
       52 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the treatment fluid is biomass, in particular active sludge. 
   
   
       53 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the membranes have the form of plates. 
   
   
       54 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the membranes have the form of tubes. 
   
   
       55 . The apparatus according to  claim 54 , wherein the membranes comprise tubelets. 
   
   
       56 . The apparatus according to  claim 54 , the membranes comprise capillaries. 
   
   
       57 . The apparatus according to  claim 54 , wherein the membranes comprise hollow fibres. 
   
   
       58 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the membrane filtration module is submerged in the fluid mixture during operation. 
   
   
       58 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the fluid space of the basin comprises a section separated off by a partition wall in which the membrane filtration module is provided. 
   
   
       60 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein a separate sub-basin is provided with a fluid space which, via a feed line, is in flow connection with the fluid space of the said basin, the membrane filtration module being provided in the fluid space of the sub-basin. 
   
   
       61 . The apparatus according to  claim 60 , wherein the closable fluid mixture feed-through line is formed by the feed line between the basin and the sub-basin which is provided with a closing device. 
   
   
       62 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the membrane filtration module is disposed outside the fluid space of the basin. 
   
   
       63 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein a plurality of tubular membranes is bundled together, and wherein the inlet side of the bundle of tubular membranes forms a cleaning/filtering additional facility for the fluid mixture, in particular with filter operation. 
   
   
       64 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein a cleaning/filtering additional facility for the fluid mixture, in particular a filter, is provided in the connection chamber on the inlet side of the membranes of the membrane filtration module. 
   
   
       65 . A method for cleaning the membranes and the inlet side of a membrane filtration module of an apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, which comprises the following steps:
 filling the basin with a treatment fluid;   feeding an incoming fluid to the treatment fluid present in the basin and mixing and treating it with the latter fluid so as to obtain a fluid mixture;   feeding the fluid mixture to the membrane filtration module;   discharging permeate filtered by and retentate retained by the membranes; and   periodically closing the fluid mixture feed-through line and opening the flushing discharge line, so that at least the inlet side of the membranes and the connection chamber of the membrane filtration module disposed underneath it are flushed.   
   
   
       66 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein the periodic closing of the fluid mixture feed-through line and opening of the flushing discharge line is initiated by a counter, a time period, the local pressure and/or a calculated transmembrane pressure differential. 
   
   
       67 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein during the periodic closing of the fluid mixture feed-through line and opening of the flushing discharge line a flushing liquid is delivered to the permeate side of the membrane filtration module. 
   
   
       68 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein during the periodic closing of the fluid mixture feed-through line and opening of the flushing discharge line a flushing liquid is delivered to gas distribution means which discharge into the connection chamber of the membrane filtration module. 
   
   
       69 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein during the periodic closing of the fluid mixture feed-through line and opening of the flushing discharge line a flushing liquid is delivered to the retentate side of the membrane filtration module. 
   
   
       70 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein during the periodic closing of the fluid mixture feed-through line and opening of the flushing discharge line a flushing liquid is delivered to the inlet side of the membrane filtration module. 
   
   
       71 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein the step of feeding an incoming fluid to the treatment fluid present in the basin and mixing and treating it with the latter fluid to obtain a fluid mixture takes place in a continuous process. 
   
   
       72 . Use of an apparatus according to claim  1  for the purification of waste water.