Modeling phenol degradation in a fluidized-bed bioreactor

A study was made of phenol degradation by bacteria immobilized onto particles of calcined diatomaceous earth in a draft-tube, three-phase fluidized-bed reactor. A mathematical model is used to describe simultaneous diffusion and reaction of oxygen and phenol in the reactor. Kinetic parameters for the growth of nonsupported cells were obtained in batch and chemostat experiments. Liquid-solid mass transfer coefficients were determined experimentally and showed good agreement with literature values for conventional three-phase fluidized beds. Experimental steady-state degradation data were used to calculate biofilm substrate diffusivities. These were found to decrease as the biofilm density increased. The transition from phenol to oxygen-limiting biofilm kinetics predicted by the model was shown to exist experimentally. A critical ratio of phenol/dissolved oxygen concentration was found at which this transition occurred. This provides a criterion for establishing whether increased aeration will increase the volumetric degradation rate.