Abstract
A simplified approach for analyzing the biofilm process in deriving an easy model has been presented. This simplified biofilm model formulated correlations between substrate concentration in the influent/effluent and at biofilm–liquid interface along with substrate flux and biofilm thickness. The model essentially considered the external mass transport according to Fick’s Law, steady state substrate as well as biomass balance for attached growth microorganisms. In substrate utilization, Monod growth kinetics has been followed incorporating relevant boundary conditions at the liquid–biofilm interface and at the attachment surface. The numerical solution of equations was accomplished using Runge–Kutta method and accordingly an integrated computer program was developed. The model has been successfully applied in a distinct set of trials with varying range of representative input variables. The model performance was compared with available existing methods and it was found an easy, accurate method that can be used for process design of biofilm reactor.
Highlights
A biofilm is a layer-like aggregation of bacteria and their extra cellular polymers (Rittmann and McCarty 1980; Hinson and Kocher 1996) that is attached to a solid surface and a common form of microbial ecosystem associated with surfaces
In the present biofilm model, the analytical solution has been presented in two different ways, i.e., Case 1 and Case 2 as stipulated below
The comparison of results using various biofilm models reveals that all relevant outputs like substrate concentration (Ss), J, Le and Lf can be determined only in the proposed model
Summary
A biofilm is a layer-like aggregation of bacteria and their extra cellular polymers (Rittmann and McCarty 1980; Hinson and Kocher 1996) that is attached to a solid surface and a common form of microbial ecosystem associated with surfaces. Biofilms are increasingly important in biological treatment of wastewater like attached growth process because of some inherent advantages such as low energy consumption, easy maintenance, better stability, excellent biomass retention and volumetric reaction rates. The biofilm process exhibits improved physical and chemical stability of the biocatalyst along with low power requirement (Mudliar et al 2008). Various researchers have developed their steady state biofilm models in due course of their study on biological attached growth process in wastewater treatment which have certain limitations (Jiang et al 2009; Pritchett and Dockery 2001; Perez et al 2005; Liao et al 2012; Qi and Morgenroth 2005; Suidan and Wang 1985; Tsuno et al 2001; Wik et al 2006)
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