Experimental study of the inverse fluidized bed biofilm reactor

Abstract

A new apparatus, the inverse fluidized bed biofilm reactor, is described. Introduction of the so called inverse fluidized bed, in which low density particles covered by a biofilm are fluidized by downflow of the liquid, allows control of the biofilm thickness and provides a high oxygen concentration in the reacting liquid. Characteristics of the reactor were studied by carrying out two important biotechnological processes: aerobic wastewater treatment by a mixed bacterial culture, and ferrous iron oxidation by the bacteria Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. The bioreaction rates per unit volume of the reactor were up to 14 times higher than those in the equivalent airlift bioreactor. The structure of the liquid flow was determined by a tracer method.

Free rising spheres do not obey newton's law for free settling

“…The bed is fluidized by a downflow of the continuous fluid. It is used mainly in biotechnology as the core of a new class of bioreactors (Nikolov and Karamanev, 1987). These studies showed unusual behavior of the inverse fluidized bed when compared to that of the classic fluidized bed where the particle density is greater than that of the fluid.…”

Biogas Production from Organic Wastes in Suspeded Cell Cultures and in Biofilms

“…Especially it is very important in the case of the comparative investigations by putting the two different types of bioprocess systems under the same conditions. In this case it could be of benefit to use the experience in investigations of biofilm reactors with moving beds in laboratory research with aerobic bioagents (11,15) as well as the information of the comparative research of two anaerobic bioprocess systems (palettes and UASB). Anyway it is necessary as a minimum to keep equal the main parameters of regime of functioning and what is very important -to ensure the all the conditions for the realization of the concept of the concentrated parameter apparatus.…”

COD reduction of textile effluent in three-phase fluidized bed bioreactor using Pseudomonas aureofaciens and Escherichia coli

“…Moreover, three-phase inverse fluidized bed bioreactor (TPIFB) offers large specific support surface area, higher gas phase holdup and higher residence time in comparison to conventional fluidized bed. Therefore, the mass transfer coefficient reaches almost two times higher in the TPIFB than conventional fluidized bed (Nikolov and Karamanev 1987). TPIFB is efficient when used for biological aerobic wastewater treatment.…”