Clogging problems negatively affect
the flow in fixed bed reactors (27). Thus, in this study the
bacterial distribution in upflow system generated system
clogging in the inlet area, slowing the water flow and requiring
the filter to be washed. This is the main energy cost
in the running operation of the plant. Clogging mainly occurred
in the first few centimeters of the column, while the
rest of the filter had no blockage problems. To lengthen the
intervals between washes it is necessary to study other
fluxes such as downflow and alternative flow.