Transient behavior of a continuous stirred tank biological reactor utilizing phenol as an inhibitory substrate

Transient experiments were conducted on a Pseudomomas utilizing phenol in a continuous culture by disturbing the influent substrate concentration and dilution rate. Two stable steady states existed for some ranges of the parameters. Highly damped oscillations were observed in approaching a new high conversion steady state or in returning to a new high conversion steady state following a small disturbance. When a large disturbance was applied there was a smooth (overdamped) approach to a new low conversion steady state.