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A cost sensitivity analysis was carried out for a full-scale hollow fibre membrane bioreactor to quantify the effect of design choices and operational parameters on cost. Different options were subjected to a long term dynamic influent profile and evaluated using ASM1 for effluent quality, aeration requirements and sludge production. The results were used to calculate a net present value (NPV), incorporating both capital expenditure (capex), based on costs obtained from equipment manufacturers and full-scale plants, and operating expenditure (opex), accounting for energy demand, sludge production and chemical cleaning costs. Results show that the amount of contingency built in to cope with changes in feedwater flow has a large impact on NPV. Deviation from a constant daily flow increases NPV as mean plant utilisation decreases. Conversely, adding a buffer tank reduces NPV, since less membrane surface is required when average plant utilisation increases. Membrane cost and lifetime is decisive in determining NPV: an increased membrane replacement interval from 5 to 10 years reduces NPV by 19%. Operation at higher SRT increases the NPV, since the reduced costs for sludge treatment are offset by correspondingly higher aeration costs at higher MLSS levels, though the analysis is very sensitive to sludge treatment costs. A higher sustainable flux demands greater membrane aeration, but the subsequent opex increase is offset by the reduced membrane area and the corresponding lower capex.

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Based on the practical experience in design and operation of three full-scale membrane bioreactors (MBR) for municipal wastewater treatment that were commissioned since 1999, an overview on the different design concepts that were applied to the three MBR plants is given. The investment costs and the energy consumption of the MBRs and conventional activated sludge (CAS) plants (with and without tertiary treatment) in the Erft river region are compared. It is found that the specific investment costs of the MBR plants are lower than those of comparable CAS with tertiary treatment. A comparison of the specific energy demand of MBRs and conventional WWTPs is given. The structure of the MBRs actual operational costs is analysed. It can be seen that energy consumption is only responsible for one quarter to one third of all operational expenses. Based on a rough design and empirical cost data, a cost comparison of a full-scale MBR and a CAS is carried out. In this example the CAS employs a sand filtration and a disinfection in order to achieve comparable effluent quality. The influence of membrane lifetime on life cycle cost is assessed.