Outputs and time lags for linear bioreactors (Q1206192)

The paper analyses a general linear model for fluidised bed biofilm reactors, fermenters and other chemical processes, proved to be amenable to certain geometrical factorization techniques which reduce the dimensionality of the system, and to algebraic uncoupling transformations which simplify the tasks of obtaining analytic and numerical solutions or estimates. Section 2 describes such a general system of linear equations using matrix notation, dimensionless parameters, and general undefined geometric configurations in order to focus attention on certain structural aspects of the equations. Section 3 points out a dominant transitory aspect of the system by a mean action time variable defined for each chemical component in the micro and macro systems. Section 4 develops, for these general linear systems, a geometric factorization technique in \(\underline t\)-space using convolution integrals.