A model for treating toluene and acetone mixtures by a trickle-bed air biofilter

摘要

A mathematical model that incorporates mass transfer process and biofilm reactions is presented to predict the performance of a trickle-bed air biofilter (TBAB) for treating toluene (T) and acetone (ACE) mixtures. The model consists of a set of mass balance equations for T, ACE and oxygen in the bulk gas phase and within the biofilm. The gas phase T and ACE concentrations predicted by the model were in good agreement with the measured data available in a previous study. The important parameters were evaluated in the sensitivity analysis to determine their respective effects on the model performance. Four parameters were identified as strongly influencing the model performance, the surface area of the biofilm per unit volume of packing material (A(S)), the empty-bed residence time (EBRT), the maximum specific growth rate of microorganism (mu(m)), and the microbial yield coefficient (Y). A practical application of the model to derive the performance equation of TBAB is also given.