Scinor SMT600-BR30 Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Module

Overview

The Scinor SMT600-BR30 is a membrane bioreactor (MBR) module carrying 30 m² (323 ft²) of TIPS PVDF hollow-fibre ultrafiltration membrane with a 0.1 µm nominal pore size. Scinor designed the module to be operated either directly in activated sludge as the separation stage of an MBR, or as a tertiary filter after clarification where treated wastewater must meet stringent reuse standards. Like the rest of the SMT600 family, the Scinor SMT600-BR30 is also intended to retrofit major membrane vendor installations, giving owners of ageing MBR plants an alternative source of replacement membranes.

Seven Star LLC supplies the Scinor SMT600-BR30 and its cassette configurations to municipal operators, industrial wastewater plants, EPC contractors and package plant builders in the Sultanate of Oman and the GCC. As a trusted supplier with engineering support in Muscat, we help project teams match cassette sizes to tank dimensions, review aeration requirements and prepare technical submittals for consultants.

Operating Principle of the Scinor SMT600-BR30

In a membrane bioreactor, biological treatment and solid–liquid separation happen in the same process. Micro-organisms in the aerated activated sludge break down organic matter and nutrients, and instead of a secondary clarifier, submerged membranes separate the treated water from the biomass. The Scinor SMT600-BR30 works in vacuum mode during filtration, drawing water outside-in through the hollow fibres so that all suspended solids remain in the tank; the datasheet specifies TSS as non-detect in the filtrate and a silt density index of 3 or below. Because separation does not depend on settling, the biological stage can run at higher mixed liquor concentrations in a smaller tank.

Membrane surfaces are kept clean by a sequence of air scour, relaxation, maintenance cleaning and clean-in-place. Coarse bubble air at 3 to 6 Nm³/h per module (1.9 to 3.7 scfm) scrubs the fibres, relaxation pauses let the cake loosen, and maintenance and CIP cleans with hypochlorite or acid restore permeability. The PVDF membrane withstands more than 5000 mg/L sodium hypochlorite and a CIP pH range of 1 to 13. The manufacturer notes that the optimised module design needs minimal air scrub and that its fibre distribution reduces sludge build-up, both of which lower operating cost.

Engineering Design of the Scinor SMT600-BR30

Each Scinor SMT600-BR30 module measures 1250 mm long, 30 mm thick and 2000 mm high (49.2 × 1.2 × 78.7 in), with a DN25 permeate port. The housing is ABS and the fibres, with 1.2 mm inner and 1.8 mm outer diameter, are potted in polyurethane. The larger fibre diameter compared with Scinor’s drinking water modules gives mechanical robustness in high-solids sludge. Operating transmembrane pressure is up to 6 psi (0.04 MPa) with a maximum of 8 psi (0.055 MPa), at water temperatures of 1 to 40 °C and a continuous pH range of 1 to 11.

Modules are installed in frames called cassettes, which integrate the air header, permeate header and fibre distribution. Three standard cassettes are offered: the M600 with 20 modules and 600 m² of membrane, measuring 1270 × 1085 × 3353 mm; the M1080 with 36 modules and 1080 m², measuring 1270 × 1805 × 3353 mm; and the M1620 with 54 modules and about 1600 m², measuring 1270 × 2615 × 3353 mm. A complete MBR train combines several cassettes in the membrane tank with a vacuum permeate pump and air blower.

Key Features

Engineers specify the Scinor SMT600-BR30 for these advantages:

• Suitable for direct operation in activated sludge or as a tertiary filter after clarification.
• Tight 0.1 µm nominal pore size with non-detect TSS and SDI of 3 or below in the filtrate.
• High-strength TIPS PVDF fibres with low breakage rate and long operational life.
• Optimised fibre distribution that reduces sludge build-up between fibres.
• Minimal air scrub requirement, contributing to low energy consumption.
• High flux on both activated sludge and secondary effluent for lower capital cost.
• Three standard cassette sizes from 600 m² to about 1600 m² of membrane area.
• Retrofit modules available for installations of all major membrane suppliers.

Industrial Applications

The Scinor SMT600-BR30 suits municipal sewage treatment plants that need compact footprints and reuse-quality effluent, industrial wastewater from food and beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical and chemical plants, and tertiary polishing of secondary effluent before reverse osmosis or irrigation. Because the MBR replaces secondary clarifiers and sand filters, it is attractive where land is limited or where an existing activated sludge plant must be upgraded to higher capacity within the same tanks.

In Oman, treated sewage effluent is widely reused for landscape irrigation and district cooling make-up, and the Scinor SMT600-BR30 fits sewage treatment plants serving Muscat, Sohar, Salalah and Duqm, hotel and resort package plants, labour camp and industrial estate plants, and oil and gas facilities treating domestic wastewater at remote sites. Seven Star LLC supports these projects as a trusted supplier with engineering support in Muscat. Aeration control in the biological tank can use the ABB ADS420 optical dissolved oxygen sensor, and solids monitoring the MONITEK turbidity and suspended solids monitors; pressurized polishing can be handled by the Scinor SMT600-P80.

Technical Specifications

The data below for the Scinor SMT600-BR30 come from the manufacturer module datasheet:

How to Order

For a quotation on the Scinor SMT600-BR30, send your RFQ to the Seven Star LLC instrumentation division with the design flow, tank dimensions, cassette preference and, for retrofits, the existing membrane make. We will review fit, confirm availability and lead time, and share the module datasheet for download. Seven Star LLC supplies Scinor MBR and ultrafiltration membranes across Oman and the GCC with engineering support in Muscat.