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Bubble coalescence in air‐sparged bioreactors
Author(s) -
Oolman Timothy O.,
Blanch Harvey W.
Publication year - 1986
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.260280415
Subject(s) - coalescence (physics) , bubble , chemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , bioreactor , gas phase , chromatography , mechanics , materials science , physics , organic chemistry , astrobiology
Coalescence frequency has been measured in an air‐sparged bubble column by observing the rate with which insoluble tracer gases were mixed within the dispersed gas phase. The effects of gas‐sparge rate and salt concentration were examined. Coalescence frequencies increased with increasing gas‐sparge rates approximately in proportion to the increase in gas‐phase hold up. The coalescence frequency decreased with NaCI concentration to a minimum frequency about half the frequency observed in pure water. Bubble size distributions were also measured in the air‐sparged column. The size distribution changed significantly over the same range of NaCI concentration as variations in the coalescence frequency were observed. The gas‐sparge rate showed no effect on the bubble size.