Challenges and perspectives in reactor scale modeling of biofilm processes

Eberl, HJ; Wade, MJ

doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-819497-3.00016-7

Challenges and perspectives in reactor scale modeling of biofilm processes

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Matthew Wade ORCiD

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Abstract

Biofilm reactors are inherently multiscale systems involving mesoscopic processes on the biofilm colony scale and macroscopic processes on the reactor scale. Mathematical models of biofilm reactors need to bridge these length and time scales. Among mesoscale biofilm models, the one-dimensional Wanner–Gujer model is the one most often used in engineering applications. It can be embedded in traditional bioreactor models, which often resemble the mathematical description of chemostat, a well-established modeling framework in mathematical biology. These biofilm reactor models are complex hybrid dynamical systems, comprising ordinary differential equation, quasilinear nonlocal hyperbolic balance laws, and semilinear diffusion–reaction equations. In this chapter, we discuss some challenges and perspectives that this involves. This includes mathematical and computational aspects and aspects of implicit model assumptions.