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Influence of operating variables on liquid circulation in a 10.5‐m 3 jet loop bioreactor
Author(s) -
GarcíaSalas Sergio,
FloresCotera Luis B.
Publication year - 1995
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.260460503
Subject(s) - aeration , volume (thermodynamics) , mechanics , jet (fluid) , mixing (physics) , circulation (fluid dynamics) , chemistry , superficial velocity , chromatography , thermodynamics , flow (mathematics) , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
A 10.5‐m 3 concentric tube jet loop reactor was used to study the influence of the working liquid volume, mean superficial air velocity, operating pressure, downcomer aeration, liquid jet velocity, and two ratios of draft tube/reactor diameter ( D t / D ) on liquid circulation time ( T c ). The experiments were carried out in a water–air system with the use of the acid pulse method. Results showed that circulation time was independent of the working liquid volume over a certain minimum liquid level, whereas downcomer aeration and D t / D ratio appeared as amenable parameters to achieve a high degree of control over liquid circulation and mixing efficiency, and to optimize the overall reactor performance. Increasing the operating pressure caused a reduction of the liquid circulation rate. However, ionger residence times of the air bubbles and the higher mass transfer driving force that result at higher pressures improve oxygen utilization. The relationship between T c and air load was independent of the operating pressure, provided the correlation is given as a function of the mean superficial air velocity. Neither liquid circulation nor gas holdup were significantly affected by liquid jet velocity. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.