ABSTRACT

Fluidized bed reactor is known as a bioreactor for organic substances because transport through and degradation in the substrate supplied strongly depend on biological processes. These biological processes are shaped by microorganisms, which occur on the outside of biofilm as aggregates. Biofilms may alter the geometry while growing. This alteration directly influences the inflow fluid field and hence the convective transport of organic substances. Thus, the objectives this paper are to develop a simple model for biofilm reactor related to Monod Kinetics and to simulate the model using Comsol Multiphysics for predict a fluidized beds biofilm environment. Therefore we present a model of the biofilm reactor with fluid flow, transport, reaction, sorption, and biofilm dynamics. The model was implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics 3.5a using the chemical engineering module. The fluid flow velocities were described with Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible fluids. Biofilm population dynamics were implemented as partial differential equation with logistic growth and diffusive spread related to Monod kinetics where the growth rate was dependent on organic employing Monodkinetics. Transport and reaction of the organic substance were modeled by a convectiondiffusion-reaction equation. The degradation potential of substrate was analyzed by considering the behavior of microorganisms. Here, we considered the influence of biofilm and its growth on the breakthrough behavior of substrate. The model results showed that biological processes exert a major influence on the fate of substrate in the reactor.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Alhamdullilah, thanks to Allah S.W.T. for giving me a good health, patience and courage to complete my final year project report. I would like to thank the following peoples for their contribution, help, and encouragement for me to succeed in this project. First of all, I would like to dedicate my greatest appreciation especially to my supervisor, Dr. Ahmed Tariq Jameel for all his guidance, advice, patience, and support during this semester. I will never forget his kindness, precious knowledge and valuable advices during fourteen week of semester. To Br. Nabeel who is the postgraduate student thanks for the continuous guidance and a precious knowledge which he willing to share to me. Even though he is busy with his job, but he still has a time for help and teaching me. To my friend, Rosamemi bt. Jamal a lot of thanks for the motivation and a knowledge and maybe my project cant be complete without her help, advice and cooperation. Last but not least, to my beloved parent, who are person, give me strength during this final year project and never forgetting to give me a lot of moral support and always pray for my success. This project had given me such a wonderful input and unforgotten experience either during running the software or working and dealing with other lectures. Thank you.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE NO. 1.0 CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUCTION 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Background 1

Problems statement. 3 Objectives... 5 Scope of Work 5

2.0

CHAPTER 2 : LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Biofilm 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3 2.2 Biofilm Processes,Constitution, and Function 8 Importance of Biofilm Structure 11 Factor Influencing Biofilm Structure Formation 11

Monod Kinetics 2.2.1 2.2.2 Kinetics and Stoichiometric Parameter 15 Biological Meaning of Parameter 16

2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6

Monod Kinetics Model. 18 Processes in Biofilm Models 18 Convection - Diffusion - Reaction - Growth Biofilm Models ..20 Comsol Multiphysics..21 2.6.1 2.6.2 Advantages of COMSOL........22 Application of COMSOL.23

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3.0

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 3.1 Part 1: Model Development 3.1.1 3.1.2 3.2 Mathematical Modeling... 24 Assumptions .25

Part II: Software Application 3.2.1 3.2.2 Materials and Equipment..26 Biofilm Fluidized Bed Reactor Model using COMSOL Multiphysic 3.527 3.3.2.1 Flow Chart..28 3.3.2.2 Model Description, Equation and Input Data.28

4.0

CHAPTER 4: RESULT 4.1 4.2 Result ....................34 Discussion of the result..38

5.0 6.0

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.41 REFERENCES.42

APPENDICES

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NOTATION

CAs (kg substrate/m): L (m): CA (kg substrate/m):

substrate concentration at the surface of the biofilm thickness of the biofilm substrate concentration in the biofilm at a distance z from the interface average effective diffusion coefficient inside the biofilm substrate consumption rate maximum substrate consumption rate biomass yield concentration of active bacteria in the biofilm maximum specific growth rate of the microorganisms inside the biofilm consumption of the substrate by the entire biofilm diffusion coefficient flow velocity radius of the particles reaction rate dynamic viscosity velocity vector fluids density

DA (m/s):

rfA (kg substrate/m biofilm.s): rf max (kg substrate/m biofilm.s): Y (kg biomass/kg substrate): Xa (kg intracellular protein /mbiofilm): max (h):

rf (kg substrate/m biofilm.s): Dp (m/s): U (m/s): R (m): rA (m/s): (kg/(ms): v (m/s): (kg/m):

p (Pa): D (m /s): c (mol/m): Deff (m/s): pl: k (m/(smol)):

pressure diffusion coefficient fluid concentration effective diffusion coefficient in the biofilm subdomain boundary rate constant for the 2nd-order reaction

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1.0: Figure 2.0:

Schematic drawing of the fluidized bed reactor. Four compartments typically defined in a biofilm system: bulk liquid, boundary layer, biofilm, and substratum.

Figure 2.1:

Steps of Biofilm Development: Reversible Attachment, Irreversible Attachment, Maturation, and Detachment.

Figure 2.2: Figure 2.3:

Summary of different suspension and immobilized cell reactors. Classification of immobilised cell systems according to the physical localization and the nature of the microenvironment.

Figure 2.4: Figure 2.5: Figure 2.6: Figure 3.0: Figure 3.1: Figure 4.0: Figure 4.1: Figure 4.2: Figure 4.3: Figure 4.4: Figure 4.5: Figure 4.6: Figure 4.7:

Simple microbial Kinetics. Monod Kinetics graph. Processes in Biofilm Models Cross section of a spherical catalyst pellet. Model geometry with subdomain and boundary labels. Contour lines of the concentration. The flow pattern around the particle. The flow pattern around the particle at time=1s The flow pattern around the particle at time=1800s The flow pattern around the particle at time=3600s The concentration flow pattern around the particle at time=1s The concentration flow pattern around the particle at time=1800s The concentration flow pattern around the particle at time=3600s

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Figure 4.8: Figure 4.9:

Velocity field at three different time Substrate concentration profiles at three different times with spreading biofilm

Figure 5.0:

Breakthrough curves evaluated on the outflow boundary of spreading biofilm

Figure 5.1:

Breakthrough curves evaluated on the outflow boundary of spreading biofilm (blue) and non-spreading biofilm (dark blue)

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