Project Summary: In this project, we will demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed biomembrane filtration process in meeting the increasing wastewater treatment demands of U.S. utilities. By combining the membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) and the recirculating dynamic membrane bioreactor (R-DMBR), we aim to intensify treatment while using at least 25% less energy and having lifetime costs at least 25% lower than current alternatives. These technologies will achieve both nitrogen and COD removal through the biological nitrification-denitrification pathway, and provide low-energy filtration to achieve minimal effluent solids concentrations. Our approach will be tested using real municipal wastewater, and successful completion of the project milestones will prove the feasibility of this technology as a simple, low-energy, and retrofittable option for thousands of U.S. utilities to respond to treatment demands while minimizing upgrade costs.

Raskin Team Members:

• Research Lab Specialist: Tim Fairley-Wax
• Postdocs: Narasimman Lakshminarasimman M Sekar
• PhD Students: Hang (Alex) Song, Katherine Giammalvo
• Master’s Students: Teddy Wood
• Undergraduate Students: Aryan Rose, Sabrina Van Putten, Clara Liao, Mahek Siwatch, Praneet Chotalia, Julia Schachinger

Collaborators:

• Professor Steve Skerlos, University of Michigan, Department of Mechanical Engineering
• Veolia Water Technologies
• inCTRL Solutions
• City of Ann Arbor Wastewater Treatment Services

Funding Source: Department of Energy/ Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy/ Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office 

News Articles

• University of Michigan CEE article “CEE Researchers Develop a New Process Train to Improve Wastewater Treatment” Jun 21, 2023.

Relevant Conference Presentations and Workshops:

• Song, H., Giammalvo, K., Fairley-Wax, T., Lakshminarasimman, N., Skerlos, S., Raskin, L. Niche Partitioning of Denitrifiers and Biomass-Associated Substrate Support Efficient Denitrification in a Dynamic Membrane Bioreactor. Poster Presentation at IWA 11th Microbial Ecology and Water Engineering Conference. (2-5 June, 2025, Atlanta, GA. United States)
• Song, H., Skerlos, S., Raskin, L. Nitrogen Removal in Municipal Wastewater Using Biomembrane Filtration System. Oral Presentation at Integrated Training in Microbial Systems Fall Retreat at University of Michigan. (30 September 2024, Ann Arbor, MI)
• Siwatch et al. Comparison of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Polymer Support Material to Mitigate Fouling in Dynamic Membrane Bioreactors. Poster Presentation at National Graduate Research Polymer Conference (30 June, 2023, Ann Arbor, MI)
• Fairley-Wax et al. Our Research Journey from Conventional MBRs to Dynamic MBRs in Anaerobic Applications. Oral Presentation at WEF/IWA Innovations in Process Engineering Conference (8 June, 2023, Portland, OR)
• Song, H., Fairley-Wax, T., Schraa, O., Zamanzadeh, M., Skerlos, S., Raskin, L. Biomembrane Filtration System Combines MABR and Recirculating Dynamic Membrane Bioreactor for Process Intensification. Oral Presentation at WEF/IWA Innovations in Process Engineering Conference 2023. (6-9 June 2023, Portland, OR)
• Giammalvo, K., Fairley-Wax, T., Song, H., Raskin, L., Skerlos, S. Designing a Recirculating Dynamic Membrane Bioreactor for Full-Scale Municipal Wastewater Treatment. Poster Presentation at 2023 Borchardt Conference 26th Triennial Symposium on Advancements in Water & Wastewater. (May 2023, Ann Arbor, MI)
• Song, H., Starostka, R., Fairley-Wax, T., Raskin, L., Skerlos, S. A Brief Review of Anaerobic Dynamic Membrane Bioreactors (AnDMBRs). Oral presentation in Workshop “Can we use dynamic membrane bioreactors (DMBRs) to intensify and expand AD applications?” at 17th World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion. (17-22 June 2022, Ann Arbor, MI)
• Giammalvo, K. et al. Heated Dynamic Membrane Method to Reduce Energy Demand in Anaerobic Digestion. Poster Presentation at 17th World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion. (17-22 June 2022, Ann Arbor, MI)
• Organized Workshop: “Can we use dynamic membrane bioreactors (DMBRs) to intensify and expand AD applications?” at International Water Association, 17th World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion (17 June, 2022, Ann Arbor, MI)
• Organized Workshop: “Harnessing biofilms for low-pressure filtration: Dynamic membrane bioreactor (DMBR) characterization, operation, and scale-up.” at International Water Association, Biofilm Reactors Conference (3 December 2021, Virtual)

Additional Project Images:

Process-flow schematic of the calibrated SIMBA# wastewater-treatment model. Numbered call-outs reference the unit operations and control blocks detailed in the legend. 1 – Dynamic Influent Data Input, 2 – SIMBA# Influent Block, 3 – MABR Aeration, 4 – MABR Unit, 5 – DO Controller, 6 – MABR Effluent Wasting, 7 – DMBR Denitrification, 8 – DMBR Filtration, 9 – Permeate Recycling, and 10 – CSTRs.