Abstract
The paper concerns the modeling of heterogeneous biofilm growth on fine spherical particles of such biofilm forms as, e.g., fluidized-bed bioreactors. Three discrete mathematical models based on cellular automata theory were proposed. The double-substrate kinetics of biomass growth, biomass displacement, internal and external mass transfer resistances, death and lysis of microbiological cells and biofilm detachment were taken into account. It was shown that there are no significant qualitative and quantitative differences between biofilm growth on flat and spherical particles of different radii. Computer simulations were compared with experimental observations. Qualitative and quantitative agreement areachieved if both cell death and lysis aretaken into consideration and a proper algorithm of biomass displacement is used. The value of the bacteria lysis rate coefficient was estimated.
Highlights
The biological processes of wastewater treatment can be divided into suspended, attachedand mixed-growth ones
The second one takes into account the death of microorganisms, while the third one allows for the death and lysis of microorganisms
Three cellular automata-based models of biofilm growth are proposed in thisstudy
Summary
The biological processes of wastewater treatment can be divided into suspended-, attachedand mixed-growth ones. Particle-based biofilm reactors, in which fine particles are used as a substratum for biofilm growth, have been widely employed in numerous processes, including the biodegradation of pollutants [1] and the production of antibiotics [2]. Reactors belonging to this group; for example, fluidized-bed bioreactors and air-lift suspension bioreactors can be operated at high volumetric flow rates, since the biomass is immobilized on a solid carrier of highly developed interphase surface, and retained inside the reactor [3]. The relationships between average biofilm density and its thickness were compared with those obtained experimentally
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