Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.51, No.5, 2388-2396, 2012
Unsteady-State Mathematical Modeling of a Fungal Biofilter Treating Hexane Vapor at Different Operating Temperatures
Fungal biofiltration is an efficient way to treat hydrophobic compounds. Although temperature is a key factor in the biofiltration, the process modeling based on temperature effect in the kinetic parameters has been rarely considered due to its complexity. Therefore, in this contribution, a dynamics mathematical model which takes into account dispersion in gas phase, diffusion in biofilm, and temperature effect in the kinetic constants and other physical properties has been presented. The model was calibrated, and validated by using previously reported experimental research in which the effect of temperature and intermittent and continuous loading on the biodegradation of n-hexane vapor had been investigated. The model prediction results revealed that a zero-order kinetic reaction fitted intermittent loading in the temperature range of 30-35 degrees C and continuous loading in the temperature range of 35-45 degrees C. Sensitivity analysis showed that at high inlet loads, approaching optimum bed temperature could change the rate limited biodegradation to a diffusion limited condition, and a part of the biofilm became inactive.