Modelling biofilm anaerobic reactor with effluent from hydrolytic/acidogenic reactor as substrate

Abstract

Abstract This work presents modelling of an anaerobic biofilm reactor using ceramic bricks as support. The results were compared with the experimental data. It was observed that the substrate concentration curves showed the same tendency. The methane formation curves showed significant differences. The substrate removal efficiency was 83%. In the steady state, the experimental data were higher than the model, from the result the substrate degrading bacteria grew enough to reach biofilm and that the effect of the shear stress was more significant as the biofilm increased in thickness. To the methane production, the model in steady state reached a maximum value of 0.56 m3 CH4/m3 *d and the experimental data reached 0.42 (m3 CH4/m3 * d). The biofilm thickness calculated by the model was 14 μm.