Abstract

Greywater is the major part of water consumptionin houses. Greywater should be treated to complying with thespecifications for several purposes such as toilet flush,landscaping irrigation, and agriculture. The treatmentefficiency of both MBR and RBC systems was investigated byusing a verified mathematical model. The simulation programGPS-X (version 6.0) was used to simulate both MBR and RBCsystems. The simulation model for biological treatment for bothMBR and RBC systems is based on Activated Sludge Model 1(ASM1). The experimental data for model calibration andverification for the MBR system were taken from experimentalwork done at Tubitak, Marmara Research Center, TurkeyATASOY. As well as the RBC proposed model was verified alsoby using RBC experimental results for a pilot plant according toBABAN. The RBC pilot plant consists of three units, The first isthe RBC unit, the second unit is the settling tank and the lastunit is the disinfection tank. The results of the MBR plantshowed that the removal efficiencies of the greywater were:95% for COD; 95% for BOD5; 96% for TKN; 92% for NH4+and 99% for TSS. Whereas, the results of the RBC show that,The BOD efficiency removal was ranged between about 93.0 to96.0 %, and for the total SS removal was ranged between 84.0 to95.0 %. The MBR system provides complete nitrification andsuspended solid removal. The RBC system provides lessnitrification process and suspended solid removal. The effluentof the rotating biological contactors units for the greywatercould be reused after filtration and disinfection with minimalcost of operation. The effluent of the membrane bioreactor unitneeds only disinfection before reuse.