Breakthrough biological treatment technology to help improve water quality of the Yellow River

DuPont™ OxyMem™ Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) technology helps expand capacity and improves effluent quality of wastewater treatment plant in Lanzhou, China

The operators of one of the main wastewater treatment plants in the Gansu province, China, have deployed state-of-the-art Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) technology, to assist efforts to improve the water quality of the Yellow River, while expanding capacity to support the economic growth of this thriving industrial hub.

DuPont™ OxyMem™ MABR modules have been installed at the plant to help treat additional process capacity and help ensure the plant is equipped to manage growing demand from the rapidly expanding population of the Gansu province. Effluent discharged into the nearby Yellow River will now comply with GB18918-2002 Class 1-A standards, providing a significant boost to efforts to improve water quality.

“After a detailed preparation, the installation of MABR modules only took one day without draining the tank and no impact on the biological treatment of the plant.” Said Tracy Chan, Market Development Manager Greater China, DuPont Water Solutions “OxyMem™ MABR has proven to be a great solution addressing Chinese government’s directions on low carbon and high efficiency technology for biological wastewater treatment.”

The DuPont™ OxyMem™ MABR system will help intensify the wastewater treatment process at the activated sludge plant, providing significant efficiency improvements in oxygen transfer. The OxyMem™ MABR technology requires ~75% less energy than conventional treatment methods. The ‘drop-in’ technology was integrated live into the treatment process without any interruption. Its reduced footprint is invaluable for this project because of the space constraints in the plant. As a result of this forward-looking investment, the wastewater treatment plant can now benefit from an increase in biological treatment capacity while maintaining overall effluent quality.

Andreas Gorenflo, Managing Director of OxyMem, said: “This forward-looking investment in biological treatment technology ensures that the wastewater treatment plant is equipped for the continued growth of the city while reducing pollution going into the Yellow River. We are happy having helped our customer in Gansu province to improve the performance of their wastewater treatment plant with minimum effort and maximum impact allowing them to meet stringent effluent standards and achieve the plant´s sustainability goals.”