Numerical Simulation and Experimental Validation of Biofilm Growth

Biofilms are bacterial colonies growing on solid-fluid interfaces, wherever enough dissolved nutrients are available. Their formation is a complex process in the sense that several Physical phenomena (Reaction-Diffusion-Advection, Sedimentation, Erosion, Fluid-Solid-Interaction) are coupled and consequently different time-scales are involved.
     In this project, the focus is on the biofilm formation in a flow chamber which resembles the mouth cavity in the vicinity of dental implants.
     The goal is to develop a computational tool capable of simulating  the biofilm growth.
Numerical solution of the Navier–Stokes equation in domains with complex boundaries that dynamically change as a result of  biological diffusion-reaction, detachment and sedimentation in biofilm growth presents a very serious challenge to grid-based methods.
    In this project, a  fully Lagrangian particle approach(mesh-less method) based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is developed.