Modelling of Biotrickling Filters for Treatment of NO_x Analytical Expressions for the NO_x Concentration in Both Gas and Biofilm Phases

Abstract

A mathematical model of an ideal biotrickling filter (BF) system that inoculates a recently identified strain of Chelatococcus daeguensis TAD1 and brings about efficient nitrogen oxide treatment is discussed. The proposed model is based on nonlinear mass transport equations at the gas–biofilm interface. Using Akbari–Ganji’s technique, approximate analytical expressions for the nitric oxide concentration in the gaseous and biofilm phases were developed for all feasible system parameters. In addition, to investigate the dynamic behaviour of the system, a numerical analysis of the problem is provided using MATLAB tools. To demonstrate this new approach, graphical data are provided and quantitatively discussed. This theoretical result has good agreement with the numerical simulation (MATLAB) results for the experimental values of parameters.

Keywords

• mathematical model
• numerical simulation
• nitrogen oxide
• biotrickling
• Akbari–Ganji’s method (AGM)