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Fundamentals and Application of Biofilm Processes in Drinking-Water Treatment

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Water Pollution

Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC5,volume 5 / 5B))

Abstract

Biofilm processes are used primarily to produce a biologically stable drinking water, which does not foster growth of microorganisms during its distribution. This article describes the characteristics of biofilms and biofilm processes. It emphasizes quantitative modeling of the phenomenon controlling the accumulation of biofilm and the removal of organic and inorganic materials comprising biological instability. The article describes a practical means, the normalized surface loading, for applying biofilm modeling to the design and analysis of biofilm processes. Special attention is given to the most common applications in drinking-water treatment: aerobic oxidation of low concentrations of biodegradable organic material, nitrification of ammonium nitrogen, and denitrification of nitrate nitrogen.

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Abbreviations

a :

specific surface area of biofilm, m−1

b :

biomass endogenous-decay coefficient, day−1

b′= b + b det :

overall biofilm loss-rate coefficient, day−1

b det :

first-order rate coefficient for biofilm detachment, day−1

d p :

medium-particle diameter, m

D :

molecular diffusion coefficient for the substrate in the bulk liquid, m2 day−1

D f :

molecular diffusion coefficient for the substrate in the biofilm, m2 day−1

D*f :

D f/D

f :

ratio of actual steady-state flux to the deep flux

g :

gravitational constant, 9.8 ms−2

h :

liquid holdup

J :

substrate flux, gs m−2 day−1

J R :

reference flux = minimum flux giving a deep, steady-state biofilm, gs m−2 day−1

J*:

dimensionless flux = J[Kq m X f D f]1/2

J*deep :

dimensionless substrate flux into a deep biofilm

J*R :

dimensionless value of J R

k m :

mass-transport coefficient, m day−1

K :

substrate concentration at which the utilization rate is one-half the maximum rate, gs m−3

K*:

dimensionless mass transfer coefficient = D/L[K/q m X f D f]1/2

L :

thickness of an effective diffusion layer, m

L f :

biofilm thickness, m

L*:

L/τ

q m :

maximum specific rate of substrate utilization, gs gx−1 day−1

Q :

liquid flow rate, m3 day−1

r dep :

rate of deposition of suspended biomass, gx day−1

r det :

rate of biofilm detachment, gx day−1

r diff :

rate of substrate accumulation due to diffusion at a point in the biofilm, gs m−3 day−1

r ut :

rate of substrate utilization by suspended biomass, gs m−3 day−1

r utf :

rate of substrate utilization at a point in the biofilm, gs m−3 day−1

S :

concentration of rate-limiting substrate in the bulk liquid, gs m−3

S f :

substrate concentration at a point in the biofilm, gs m−3

S min :

minimum substrate concentration to support a steady-state biofilm = K(b′/Yq m − b′), gs m−3

S S :

substrate concentration at the outer surface of the biofilm, gs m−3

S 0 :

influent substrate concentration, gs m−3

S*:

S/K = dimensionless substrate concentration

S*min :

growth potential = b′/Yq m − b′

t :

time, days

u :

superficial flow velocity m day−1

V :

total volume of reactor or reactor segment, m3

X a :

concentration of active biomass in the bulk liquid, gx m−3

X f :

biomass density in the biofilm, gx m−3

X 0a :

influent active-biomass concentration, gx m−3

Y :

true yield, gx gs−1

z :

distance dimension normal to the biofilm surface, m

α :

constant used to compute f

β :

constant used to compute f

ε :

porosity of the bed

μ :

absolute viscosity of the liquid, g m−1 day−1

μ m :

maximum specific growth rate, day−1

ρ p :

density of the medium particles, g m−3

ρ w :

density of the liquid, g m−3

σ :

liquid shear stress, dyne cm−2

τ :

standard biofilm depth dimension [21], m

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208-3109, USA

    Bruce E. Rittmann

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  1. Bruce E. Rittmann
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

    Jiri Hrubec

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© 1995 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Rittmann, B.E. (1995). Fundamentals and Application of Biofilm Processes in Drinking-Water Treatment. In: Hrubec, J. (eds) Water Pollution. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 5 / 5B. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-48468-4_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-48468-4_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-14504-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-48468-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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