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Phenomenological model of fungal biofilters for the abatement of hydrophobic VOCs

2008; Wiley; Volume: 101; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/bit.21989

1097-0290

Alberto Vergara‐Fernández, Sergio Hernández, Sergio Revah,

Vehicle emissions and performance

This work describes the growth of filamentous fungi in biofilters for the degradation of hydrophobic VOCs. The study system was n-hexane and Fusarium solani B1. The system is mathematically described and the main physical, kinetic data and morphological parameters were obtained by independent experiments and validated with data from laboratory experiments. The model describes the increase in the transport area by the growth of the filamentous cylindrical mycelia and its relation with n-hexane elimination in quasi-stationary state in a biofilter. The model describing fungal growth includes Monod-Haldane kinetic and hyphal elongation and ramification. A specific surface area of transport (SSAT) of 1.91 x 10(5) m(2) m(-3) and a maximum elimination capacity (EC) of 248 g m(-3) h(-1) were obtained by the mathematical model simulation, with a 10% of error with respect to the experimental EC.