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Distribution of the free and oil‐trapped air bubbles in simulated broths containing fungal biomass
Author(s) -
LarraldeCorona C. Patricia,
Córdova Ma. Soledad,
Galindo Enrique
Publication year - 2002
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.5450800319
Subject(s) - bubble , biomass (ecology) , volume (thermodynamics) , mass transfer , air bubble , oil droplet , castor oil , materials science , fermentation , phase (matter) , environmental science , chemistry , chromatography , pulp and paper industry , mechanics , thermodynamics , composite material , biology , food science , physics , ecology , biochemistry , engineering , emulsion , organic chemistry
The location of air bubbles (i.e. inside oil drops or free in the aqueous phase) was studied by image analysis as a function of the oil and biomass concentrations in a 2 L stirred tank using a simulated fermentation medium (aqueoussalt solution, castor oil, air and fungal biomass) agitated by a Rushton turbine. The solid (fungal) phase plays an important role in defining the location of bubbles, as the percentage (in bubble volume) of bubbles trapped in oil increases threefold when biomass is added to the medium. The bubbles located inside oil drops were found to occupy 60% of the total bubble volume and to be 40% smaller than those which were non‐oil associated. This phenomenon has important implications for oxygen mass transfer in multiphase fermentations.