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Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Vol.101, No.3, 177-195, 2002
Significance of fluid regime and wetted area in biofilm reactors
Mass transfer within microbial films was described using Monod-type biological kinetics in terms of properties of filter media and feed solution. The performance characteristics of a trickling filter were thus modeled. The model enables one to consider the effect of inlet substrate concentration and flow rate upon the removal efficiency. For this purpose a second-order partial differential equation describing the dispersion phenomena inside the liquid layer was solved under special boundary conditions and used to determine substrate flux into the biofilm. A uniform biofilm thickness was considered. The model is based on computer techniques and the numerical evaluation of the normalized biofilm mathematical model. A design procedure was also given to calculate biological filters. The numerical model was also applied to experimental data to demonstrate its validity.
Keywords:biological surveys;concentrations;design practices;diffusion;environmental engineering;mass transfer;mathematical models;biological filters;trickling filters