Mathematical modeling of gas‐phase biofilter performance

In the present paper, a new mathematical model describing the physical, chemical and biological phenomena involved in the process of contaminant removal in biofilters is developed. In addition to the contaminant, the key components of the present theoretical model are carbon dioxide and oxygen. The model predicts the concentration profile of the key components in the gas phase, the biofilm and the sorption liquid retained in the solid particles composing the filter bed at both steady and transient regimes. The model equations were solved numerically and comparison between theory and experiment showed that the model results for styrene and carbon dioxide concentration profiles were in very good agreement with experimental data for the biofiltration of styrene vapors at steady state. The analysis of oxygen concentration profile in the biofilm predicted by the theoretical model revealed that oxygen limitation does not occur under the operating styrene biodegradation rate in the biofilter. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry

[1]  Edward H. Smith,et al.  Analytical model of dual-media biofilter for removal of organic air pollutants , 1997 .

[2]  M. Heitz,et al.  Biofiltration of Air Contaminated with Toluene , 2001, Environmental technology.

[3]  A. A. Shaikh,et al.  DEVELOPMENT EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION AND DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF A GENERAL TRANSIENT BIOFILTER MODEL , 1997 .

[4]  Ryszard Brzezinski,et al.  Treatment of air polluted with high concentrations of toluene and xylene in a pilot-scale biofilter , 1998 .

[5]  D. S. Hodge,et al.  Modeling Removal of Air Contaminants by Biofiltration , 1995 .

[6]  A. A. Shaikh,et al.  Axial dispersion in biofilters , 1998 .

[7]  M. Amanullah,et al.  Modeling and simulation of a biofilter , 1999 .

[8]  I. Dunn,et al.  Behavior of biofilters for waste air biotreatment. 1. Dynamic model development. , 1995, Environmental science & technology.

[9]  M. Heitz,et al.  Biofiltration of air contaminated by styrene: Effect of nitrogen supply, gas flow rate, and inlet concentration , 2000 .

[10]  R. Brzezinski,et al.  Biological purification of exhaust air containing toluene vapor in a filter‐bed reactor , 1997 .

[11]  Zarook Shareefdeen,et al.  Biofiltration of toluene vapor under steady-state and transient conditions: Theory and experimental results , 1994 .

[12]  R. Reid,et al.  The Properties of Gases and Liquids , 1977 .

[13]  L. Fan,et al.  Diffusion of phenol through a biofilm grown on activated carbon particles in a draft‐tube three‐phase fluidized‐bed bioreactor , 1990, Biotechnology and bioengineering.