Flow cells as quasi-ideal systems for biofouling simulation of industrial piping systems

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Joana S. Teodósio (Author) FEUP; Filipe C. Silva (Author) FEUP; Joana M. R. Moreira (Author) FEUP; Manuel Simões (Author) FEUP; Luís F. Melo (Author) FEUP; Manuel A. Alves (Author) FEUP; Filipe J. Mergulhão (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Biofouling

Vol. 29 No. 8

Pages: 953-966

ISSN: 0892-7014

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 13 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 20 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Biological sciences

Associated Projects

Filmstart - Estudo das condições iniciais que controlam a formação de biofilmes

Hemo-Networks - Hemo-Networks- Investigação experimental e numérica dos factores que influenciam o escoamento de sangue em redes microvasculares

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-006-7RG

DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2013.821467

Abstract (EN): Semi-circular flow cells are often used to simulate the formation of biofilms in industrial pipes with circular section because their planar surface allows easy sampling using coupons. Computational fluid dynamics was used to assess whether the flow in pipe systems can be emulated by the semi-circular flow cells that are used to study biofilm formation. The results show that this is the case for Reynolds numbers (Re) ranging from 10 to 1000 and 3500 to 10,000. A correspondence involving the friction factor was obtained in order to correlate any semi-circular flow cell to any circular pipe for Re between 10 and 100,000. The semi-circular flow cell was then used to assess experimentally the effect of Reynolds number (Re=4350 and 6720) on planktonic cell concentration and biofilm formation using Escherichia coli JM109 (DE3). Lower planktonic cell concentrations and thicker biofilms (>1.2mm) were obtained with the lower Re.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 14