AN EXPERIMENTAL-MODEL OF BIOFILM DETACHMENT IN LIQUID FLUIDIZED-BED BIOLOGICAL REACTORS

Dimensional analysis was applied for the description of biofilm detach ment in liquid fluidized bed biological reactors. This technique allow ed the identification of the significant parameters influencing detach ment mechanisms and suggested suitable experiments for the characteriz ation of involved phenomena. The influence of the significant variable s was established on a lab-scale reactor and an empirical model was pr oposed to correlate experimental results. The detachment rate was stro ngly dependent on liquid velocity, while the influence of other parame ters, such as solid hold-up and liquid shear stress, was found to be l ess important. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.