Modelling of a biofiltration process of volatile organic compound mixtures in a biofilter

Abstract

Currently, different methods for air clean-up from chemical pollutants are applied worldwide: adsorption, absorption, and thermal and catalytic oxidation. One of the most promising methods is biological air cleaning. The aim of this study was to test the performance of a developed biofilter with packing material of activated pine bark for biological air cleaning and to mathematically model the biofiltration processes. Comparative analysis of the modelling results for individual pollutants (butyl acetate, butanol and xylene) showed strongest dependence of the efficiency of xylene removal from the air on the amount and ratio of other substances (from 20% to 70%). Thus, the process of removal of pollutants (butanol and butyl acetate) that are easier to biologically decompose was obtained to be influenced to a lesser extent by the amount and ratio (%) of other components. The results also showed that the efficiency of butyl acetate removal mostly depended on the ratio of other substances in the mixture (from 15% to 100%), whereas the efficiency of butyl acetate and xylene removal mostly depended on the amount of other substances in the mixture (from 20% to 100%). With the parameters of the biofilter (height of packing material, incoming air flow velocity) and the pollutants to be removed known, the mathematical expression of the filter efficiency was found, which would allow to make theoretical calculation and selection of the most appropriate parameters of the device as well as to achieve maximum efficiency of air cleaning.

Comparative Evaluation of Selected Biological Methods for the Removal of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Odorous VOCs from Air

“…Currently, the research is focused on the improvement of the removal of hydrophobic air pollutants, biofiltration of which is usually limited by low mass transfer rate from the gas to the liquid (biofilm) phase. Parallel to typical experimental investigations, also in the semi-pilot and pilot scales, modeling of these processes is investigated and developed [34][35][36][37]. Examples of the latest research include the application of fungi for biofiltration [38], modeling of serial biofiltration unit [39], upgrading of biogas in biofilters [40] or biomass overgrowth control strategies [41].…”

Simulation of the Biofiltration of Sulfur Compounds: Effect of the Partition Coefficients

“…Many models use Henry's constant as a partition coefficient to describe the distribution of gas-liquid species in biofilters [11][12][13]. Its use assumes a constant relationship between the concentrations in both phases; the liquid phase is pure water, and the gaseous phase is Processes 2022, 10, 1325 2 of 17 very diluted [14].…”