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Effect of sparger design on hydrodynamics of a gas recirculation anaerobic bioreactor
Author(s) -
Varma Rajneesh,
AlDahhan Muthanna
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.21500
Subject(s) - sparging , draft tube , body orifice , slurry , biogas , air sparging , volumetric flow rate , mechanics , chemistry , environmental science , petroleum engineering , materials science , waste management , geology , environmental engineering , mechanical engineering , engineering , physics , ecology , contamination , biology , environmental remediation
The effects of sparger design and gas flow rate on, gas holdup distribution and liquid (slurry) recirculation velocity have been studied in a surrogate anaerobic bioreactor used for treating bovine waste with a conical bottom mixed by gas recirculation. A single orifice sparger (SOS) and a multi‐orifice ring sparger (MORS) with the same orifice open area and gas flow rates (hence the same process power input) are compared in this study. The advanced non‐invasive techniques of computer automated tomography (CT) and computer automated radioactive particle tracking (CARPT) were employed to determine gas holdup, liquid recirculation velocity, and the poorly mixed zones. Gas flows ( Q g ) ranging of 0.017 × 10 −3 m 3 /s to 0.083 × 10 −3 m 3 /s were used which correspond to draft tube superficial gas velocities ranging from 1.46 × 10 −2 m/s to 7.35 × 10 −2 m/s (based on draft tube diameter). Air was used for the gas, as the molecular weights of air and biogas (consisting mainly of CH 4 and CO 2 ) are in the same range (biogas: 28.32–26.08 kg/kmol and air: 28.58 kg/kmol). When compared to the SOS for a given gas flow rate, the MORS gave better gas holdup distribution in the draft tube, enhanced the liquid (slurry) recirculation, and reduced the fraction of the poorly mixed zones. The improved gas holdup distribution in the draft tube was found to have increased the overall liquid velocity. Hence, for the same process power input the MORS system performed better by enhancing the liquid recirculation and reducing the poorly mixed zones. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;98: 1146–1160. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.