Abstracts of Paper's Published in 2009


In the following:

  1. M.I. Nelson, J.L. Quigleyu and X.D. Chen. A fundamental analysis of continuous flow bioreactor and membrane reactor models with non-competitive product inhibition Asia-Pacific Journal of Chemical Engineering, 4(1), 107-117, 2009.
  2. The DOI (Digital Object Identifier) link for this article is http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/apj.234.

  3. M.I. Nelson and H.S. Sidhu. Analysis of the activated sludge model (number 1). Applied Mathematics Letters, 22, 629-635, 2009.
  4. The DOI (Digital Object Identifier) link for this article is http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aml.2008.05.003.

  5. M.I. Nelson and A. Holderu. A fundamental analysis of continuous flow bioreactor models governed by Contois kinetics. II. Reactor cascades. Chemical Engineering Journal, 149 (1-3), 406-416, 2009.

    The DOI (Digital Object Identifier) link for this article is http://dx.doi.org//10.1016/j.cej.2009.01.028.

  6. M.I. Nelson and H.S. Sidhu. Analysis of a chemostat model with variable yield coefficient: Tessier kinetics. The Journal of Mathematical Chemistry, 46(2), 303-321.
  7. The DOI (Digital Object Identifier) link for this article is http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10910-008-9463-7.


A fundamental analysis of continuous flow bioreactor and membrane reactor models with non-competitive product inhibition

Abstract

We analyze the steady-state production of a product produced through the growth of microorganisms in both a continuous flow bioreactor and in an idealized continuous flow membrane reactor. The reaction is assumed to be governed by Monod growth kinetics subject to noncompetitive product inhibition. Although this reaction scheme is often mentioned in textbooks, a stability analysis does not appear in the literature.

The steady-state solutions of the model are found and their stability determined as a function of the residence time. The performance of the reactor at large residence times is obtained. The key dimensionless parameter that controls the degree of non-competitive product inhibition is identified and we quantify the effect that this has on the reactor performance in the limit when product inhibition is `small' and `large'.

Keywords: bioreactor; kinetics; membrane reactor; modelling; stirred tank. .

M.I. Nelson and J.L. Quigleyu and X.D. Chen. A fundamental analysis of continuous flow bioreactor and membrane reactor models with non-competitive product inhibition. Asia-Pacific Journal of Chemical Engineering, 4(1), 107-117, 2009. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/apj.234.


Analysis of the activated sludge model (number 1)

Abstract
We analyse a model for the activated sludge process occurring in a biological reactor without recycle. The biochemical processes occurring within the reactor are represented by the activated sludge model number 1 (ASM1). In the past the ASM1 model has been investigated via direct integration of the governing equations. This approach is time consuming as parameter regions of interest (in terms of the effluent quality leaving the plant) can only be determined through laborious and repetitive calculations. In this work we use continuation methods to determine the steady-state behaviour of the system. In particular, we determine bifurcation values of the residence time, corresponding to branch points, that are crucial in determining the performance of the plant.

M.I. Nelson and H.S. Sidhu. Analysis of the activated sludge model (number 1). Applied Mathematics Letters, 22, 629-635, 2009.

The DOI (Digital Object Identifier) link for this article is http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aml.2008.05.003.


A fundamental analysis of continuous flow bioreactor models to process industrial wastewaters: Reactor cascades

Abstract

The rate determining step of a number of biological processes is now known to be described by Contois growth kinetics. In particular this growth rate has been found to describe the treatment of contaminated wastewaters containing biodegradable organic materials from a variety of industrial processes. The efficient treatment of such waste materials is of ever growing environmental concern. This contribution is the first steady-state analysis for the treatment of industrial wastewaters, obeying Contois kinetics, in a cascade of continuous flow bioreactors without recycle. The steady-states of the model are found and their stability determined as a function of the residence time in each reactor of the cascade.

Asymptotic solutions are obtained for the effluent concentration leaving a cascade of $n$ reactors for two scenarios, in which it is assumed that the reactors in the cascade have the same residence time In the first scenario the limiting case of large total residence time (&taut*) is considered. The effluent concentration leaving the reactor (Sn*) is found to be given by Sn* ≈ τ*-n, when n =1, 2, 3 and 4,. It is conjectured that this relationship holds for all n. Thus, for a fixed total residence time increasing the number of reactors in the the cascade has a dramatic effect on the quality of the wastewater leaving the cascade. In the second scenario, the limiting case when the total residence time is slightly larger than the washout point is considered. In this region, a small increase in the total residence time leads to a large decrease in the effluent concentration.

These results are illustrated by considering the anaerobic digestion of ice-cream wastewater.

Keywords: bioreactors; contois kinetics; mathematical modelling; nonlinear dynamics; reaction engineering; wastewater. .

M.I. Nelson and A. Holderu. A fundamental analysis of continuous flow bioreactor models governed by Contois kinetics. II. Reactor cascades. Chemical Engineering Journal, 149 (1-3), 406-416, 2009. http://dx.doi.org//10.1016/j.cej.2009.01.028.


Analysis of a chemostat model with variable yield coefficient: Tessier kinetics

Abstract

We investigate a chemostat model in which the growth rate is given by a Tessier expression with a variable yield coefficient. We combine analytical results with path-following methods. The washout conditions are found. When washout does not occur we establish the conditions under which the reactor performance and reactor productivity are maximised. We also determine the parameter region in which oscillations may be generated in the reactor. We briefly discuss the implications of our results for comparing the performance of a single bioreactor against a cascade of two bioreactors.

Keywords: Bioreactors; Bifurcation; Continuous Culture; Nonlinear Dynamics; Reaction Engineering; Stability; Variable yield.

M.I. Nelson and H.S. Sidhu. Analysis of a chemostat model with variable yield coefficient: Tessier kinetics The Journal of Mathematical Chemistry, 46(2), 303-321.

The DOI (Digital Object Identifier) link for this article is http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10910-008-9463-7.



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