Previous membrane researches undertaken over the years to develop general deadend filtration models made use of an approach that combined all three classical fouling mechanisms, namely, pore blocking, pore constriction and cake filtration. More recently researchers have modified and adapted this modelling approach for a cross flow side-stream membrane bioreactor (MBR) system. Literature also reveals that there have been numerous recent experimental studies conducted on rotating membrane bioreactor (RMBR) systems. Some of these studies have resulted in the creation of RMBR models of the membrane fouling process as well. However, simulation and modelling of the fouling in RMBRs is still a nascent topic to date due to poor understanding and great complexity of the system hydrodynamics involved. Even when models are developed, they are either too complex to be useful at operational level, or not comprehensive enough to express all possible operational scenarios. In many cases they are simply too difficult to calibrate and thus ending up being more suited as research tools rather than for direct process control. As such, further research is required in this area. The research reported in this thesis consists of the development and validation of a RMBR system fouling model that incorporates all three classical fouling mechanisms. This thesis work is divided into two main sections. On top of a literature review that thoroughly describes the background theory and general information on MBRs along with their state of the art, the first section of the thesis also explains the specific methodologies used to accomplish all the main tasks carried out in this research work. The first step of these methodologies involves the setting-up of a rotating MBR system process based upon the FUV-185-A15R Flexidisks membrane module that was developed by Avanti Membrane Technology (USA). This system was used to collect the majority of the data used in this thesis. Since some of these data outputs were compared against non-rotating MBR systems, a similar setting-up process for a bespoke static square MBR system was carried out as well. Using synthetic wastewater in conjunction with activated sludge, mixed liquor suspended solids in both MBR system bioreactors were increased in levels over time to desired levels (i.e. by periodic excess sludge wasting). Trans-membrane pressure (TMP)-stepping fouling data was then acquired from operations of these membrane ultrafiltration processes. This data was obtained by measuring the flux decline or TMP increase. Following data collection, a dynamic fouling model for this RMBR system was then created in Matlab (using the Genetic Algorithm function). To do this, hydrodynamic regimes such as air scouring and rotating shear effects along with all the three classical fouling mechanisms were included in the mathematical fouling model that was created from first principles. For the purpose of comparison, a similar fouling model was created without incorporating the rotational effects for the static square MBR system. This included modelling of the hydrodynamics as well. Finally, both these models were validated and calibrated using the data that were collected from both laboratory-based MBR systems. The second phase of the thesis explores the numerous outputted results produced via model simulations which were then discussed and analysed in great detail. Results from this research indicate that the mathematical models give a decent portrayal and description of the fouling mechanisms occurring within a rotating MBR system. It was found that the rotational mechanisms in terms of fouling prevention accounted for only twelve percent of cake removal with the rest being accomplished through the air scouring mechanism. However, it was found that although the slowly rotating spindle induced a weak crossflow shear, it was still able to even out cake build up across the membrane surface, thus reducing the likelihood of localised critical flux being exceeded, which would lead to dramatic loss of flux. Furthermore, when compared against the static MBR system, the study concluded that a rotating MBR system could increase the flux throughput by a significant amount. In conclusion, RMBR systems appear to represent alternative viable solutions when compared against the traditional static MBR systems that currently dominate the industrial and municipal marketplace. In future, RMBR systems may become the systems of first choice once there is a better understanding of the rotational processes, and once research and design into this sector broadens. Future study areas should thus focus on: whether the forces acting on an activated sludge particle during rotation have a significant effect on the fouling or the shear hydrodynamic regimes; whether activated sludge and benchmark models could be created for rotating MBRs whilst including the shear effects and hydrodynamic regimes; whether model predictive control using these developed RMBR models would enhance efficiency gains within an operational plant; and, whether the real measured soluble microbial products (SMP) concentrations could be used to create an even better SMP predictive model that accurately explains fouling behaviour.

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) are a relatively new electroactive polymer (EAP) transducer technology. They are capable of over 100% strain when actuated, and can be used as sensors to measure large strains. In actuation mode, the DE is subject to an electric field; in sensing mode, the capacitance of the dielectric elastomer is measured. In this work, a dielectric elastomer configured as a circular membrane clamped around its outer edge over a sealed chamber and inflated by a bias pressure is studied in order to characterize its static and dynamic electromechanical behavior. In both cases, the experiments were conducted with prestretched dielectric elastomer actuators fabricated from 0.5 mm or 1 mm thick polyacrylate films and unless stated otherwise carbon grease electrodes were used. The static tests investigate the effect of flexible electrodes and passive layers on the electromechanical response of dielectric elastomer membrane actuators and sensors. To study the effect of the flexible electrodes, four compliant electrodes were tested: carbon grease, silver grease, graphite spray, and graphite powder. The electrode experiments show that carbon grease is the most effective electrode of those tested. To protect the flexible electrodes from environmental hazards, the effect of adding passive elastic layers to the transducers was investigated. A series of tests were conducted whereby the position of the added layers relative to the transducer was varied: (i) top passive layer, (ii) bottom passive layer, and (iii) passive layers on both the bottom and top of the transducer. For the passive layer tests, the results show that adding elastic layers made of the same material as the DE dramatically changes both the mechanical and electrical response of the actuator. The ability to use capacitance measurements to determine the membrane's maximum stretch was also investigated. The experiments demonstrate that the capacitance response can be used to sense large mechanical strains in the membrane ï ³ 25%. In addition, a numerical model was developed which correlates very well with the experimental results especially for strains up to 41%. The dynamic experiments investigate the dynamic response of a dielectric elastomer membrane due to (i) a time-varying pressure input and (ii) a time-varying voltage input. For the time-varying pressure experiments, the prestretched membrane was inflated and deflated mechanically while a constant voltage was applied. The membrane was cycled between various predetermined inflation states, the largest of which was nearly hemispherical, which with an applied constant voltage of 3 kV corresponded to a maximum strain at the pole (center of membrane) of 28%. These experiments show that for higher voltages, the volume displaced by the membrane increases and the pressure inside the chamber decreases. For the time varying voltage experiments, the membrane was passively inflated to various predetermined states, and then actuated. Various experiments were conducted to see how varying certain system parameters changed the membrane's dynamic response. These included changing the chamber volume and voltage signal offset, as well as measuring the displacement of multiple points along the membrane's radius in order to capture its entire motion. The chamber volume experiments reveal that increasing the size of the chamber onto which the membrane is clamped will cause the resonance peaks to shift and change in number. For these experiments, the pole strains incurred during the inflation were as high as 26 %, corresponding to slightly less than a hemispherical state. Upon actuation using a voltage signal with an amplitude of 1.5 kV, the membrane would inflate further, causing a maximum additional strain of 12.1%. The voltage signal offset experiments show that adding offset to the input signal causes the membrane to oscillate at two distinct frequencies rather than one. Lastly, experiments to capture the entire motion of the membrane revealed the different mode shapes the membrane's motion resembles. / Master of Science