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Model‐based comparative performance analysis of membrane aerated biofilm reactor configurations
Author(s) -
Syron Eoin,
Casey Eoin
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.21700
Subject(s) - aeration , biofilm , membrane , diffusion , hollow fiber membrane , chemical engineering , membrane reactor , oxygen , limiting , chemistry , reaction rate , materials science , bioreactor , substrate (aquarium) , thermodynamics , catalysis , organic chemistry , ecology , bacteria , biology , mechanical engineering , biochemistry , genetics , physics , engineering
Abstract The potential of the membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) for high‐rate bio‐oxidation was investigated. A reaction‐diffusion model was combined with a preliminary hollow‐fiber MABR process model to investigate reaction rate‐limiting regime and to perform comparative analysis on prospective designs and operational parameters. High oxidation fluxes can be attained in the MABR if the intra‐membrane oxygen pressure is sufficiently high, however the volumetric oxidation rate is highly dependent on the membrane specific surface area and therefore the maximum performance, in volumetric terms, was achieved in MABRs with relatively thin fibers. The results show that unless the carbon substrate concentration is particularly high, there does not appear to be an advantage to be gained by designing MABRs on the basis of thick biofilms even if oxygen limitations can be overcome. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;99: 1361–1373. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.