Mathematical modeling and stability analysis of a two-phase biosystem

Abstract

We propose a new mathematical model describing a biotechnological process of simultaneous production of hydrogen and methane by anaerobic digestion. The process is carried out in two connected continuously stirred bioreactors. The proposed model is developed by adapting and reducing the well known Anaerobic Digester Model No 1 (ADM1). Mathematical analysis of the model is carried out, involving existence and uniqueness of positive and uniformly bounded solutions, computation of equilibrium points, investigation of their local stability with respect to practically important input parameters. Existence of maxima of the input-output static characteristics with respect to hydrogen and methane is established. Numerical simulations using a specially elaborated web-based software environment are presented to demonstrate the dynamic behavior of the model solutions.