title: Particle-based biofilm reactor technology.
abstract: Particle-based biofilm reactors provide the potential to develop compact and high-rate processes. In these reactors, a large biomass content can be maintained (up to 30 g l-1), and the large specific surface area (up to 3000 m2 m-3) ensures that the conversions are not strongly limited by the biofilm liquid mass-transfer rate. Engineered design and control of particle-based biofilm reactors are established, and reliable correlations exist for the estimation of the design parameters. As a result, a new generation of high-load, efficient biofilm reactors are operating throughout the world with several full-scale applications for industrial and municipal waste-water treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Reading, UK. c.nicolella@afnovell.reading.ac.uk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nicolella
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: van Loosdrecht
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Heijnen
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms; D019149:Bioreactors; D001709:Biotechnology