Bioreactor for the in situ study of microbial biofilms inducing corrosion on metal surfaces

A bioreactor for the in situ study of corrosion inducing mesophilic and thermophilic microbial biofilms on metal surfaces and measuring a rate of corrosion of a surface of a metal test coupon, said bioreactor comprising:

• a homogenizing container (1) containing a culture medium, industrial fluid or production fluid, said homogenizing container having an inlet arid an outlet;
• a hermetic container having a thermostatic temperature control and pump, an inlet and an outlet;
• a first flexible conduit (3) connected to said outlet of said homogenizing container for transporting said fluid from said homogenizing container (1) to said inlet of said hermetic container (4);
• a support container for supporting a plurality of test coupons, said support container having substantially tubular shaped wail with an inner perimeter surface forming a longitudinal passage, a fluid inlet at an inlet end of said longitudinal passage, and fluid outlet at an outlet end of said longitudinal passage,
• a second flexible conduit (5) connected to said outlet of said hermetic container and to said fluid inlet of said support container to carry fluid pumped from the hermetic container (4) to the support section (6),
• a plurality of hermetic holders extending through said wall and removably coupled to said wall of said support container, each hermetic holder supporting a corrosimetric metal test coupons (8) in said longitudinal passage of said support section, said hermetic holders and corrosimetric metal test coupons being longitudinally spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of said longitudinal passage, and angularly spaced apart around a circumference of said inner perimeter surface of said longitudinal passage of said support container;
• and
• a settling container (11) having an inlet with a valve connected to said outlet of said support section for receiving fluid and biomass waste residuals from the support section (6), said settling vessel having an outlet connected to said inlet of said homogenizing container forming a closed loop, said settling vessel having a drain for removing sediment form said settling container.