Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026

A Microfluidic Platform to Study Bioclogging in Porous Media
Published on: October 13, 2022
A fluid dynamics model of the growth of phototrophic biofilms
F Clarelli1, C Di Russo, R Natalini
1Istituto per le Applicazioni del Calcolo "M.Picone", sez. Firenze, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Polo Scientifico-Edificio F, CNR, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy. clarelli@iac.rm.cnr.it
Abstract:
A system of nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations is derived using mixture theory to model the formation of biofilms. In contrast with most of the existing models, our equations have a finite speed of propagation, without using artificial free boundary conditions. Adapted numerical scheme will be described in detail and several simulations will be presented in one and more space dimensions in the particular case of cyanobacteria biofilms. Besides, the numerical scheme we present is able to deal in a natural and effective way with regions where one of the phases is vanishing.
Related Concept Videos
Growth Models with Integration: Problem Solving
Designing Growth Media for Bioreactors
Biofilms
Microbial Mats
Microbial Growth Measurement: Indirect Methods
Modeling with Differential Equations

