Membrane Technology Generates Renewable Energy From Wastewater

GE introduced a membrane-based wastewater treatment technology combining anaerobic digestion technology with its ZeeWeed 500 membranes to create anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). As industrial customers seek greater water reuse, while facing more stringent discharge limits, AnMBR offers the ability to generate renewable energy from industrial wastewater, according to GE

GE’s new technology is suited for industrial wastewater with high biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand concentrations that result in higher aerobic treatment operational expenses. GE’s AnMBR provides reduced energy consumption, energy recovery and reduced sludge production.

GE’s AnMBR separates solids retention time from hydraulic retention time for a more robust biological process, according to the company, retaining methanogens in anaerobic reactor, increasing methane production with no suspended solids in permeate and improving final effluent quality.