Suspended media granular activated carbon membrane biological reactor system and process

A membrane biological reactor industrial wastewater treatment system for reducing concentrations of biologically refractory and/or bio-inhibitory compounds in the treated effluent, the system comprising:

• an aeration tank for aerating an industrial wastewater stream, the tank including a waste discharge port;
• a population of one or more active waste-digesting bacterial micro-organisms in the aeration tank;
• one or more granular activated carbon input locations associated with the aeration tank for introducing granular activated carbon into the aeration tank;
• an aerated suspension of granular activated carbon in the aeration tank having adsorbed on its surface biologically refractory and/or bio-inhibitory compounds from the wastewater stream and having active waste-digesting bacterial micro-organisms retained in its pores;
• a membrane operating system tank containing one or more membranes located downstream of the aeration tank, the membrane operating system tank receiving mixed liquor from the aeration tank and discharging treated effluent;
• and
• a fine screen or separation subsystem located in the aeration tank for maintaining the granular activated carbon in the aeration tank with the mixed liquor and preventing passage of at least a majority of the granular activated carbon to the membrane operating system tank,
• wherein the waste discharge port is operable to remove granular activated carbon from the aeration tank when the efficacy of the granular activated carbon for removing biologically refractory and/or bio-inhibitory compounds has been reduced to a level that approaches a compliance level associated with the treatment system's requirements.