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On the merits of partial fluid mixing in the biochemical reactor system
Author(s) -
Chen Gilbert K. C.,
Fan L. T.,
Erickson L. E.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450500203
Subject(s) - mixing (physics) , péclet number , thermodynamics , dispersion (optics) , chemistry , autocatalysis , continuous stirred tank reactor , mechanics , diffusion , materials science , physics , catalysis , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , optics
For autocatalytic reactions such as those associated with many biochemical processes, the rate of a reaction is influenced by the concentrations of some of the products as well as those of the reactants. By use of the so‐called diffusion (axial dispersion) model in conjunction with the Monod growth kinetics, it is shown that partial (incomplete) fluid mixing is often desirable for this class of reactions. Under sterile feed conditions, the optimal Peclet number appears to range between 0 and 2 with the exact value depending on the values of the kinetic constants and initial substrate concentration. By varying this single parameter, the performances of such reactors under various degrees of fluid mixing can be readily investigated using the axial dispersion model. The optimal design may be physically realized by the use of a tower fermentor with controlled axial dispersion.