Open AccessJet aeration as alternative to overcome mass transfer limitation of stirred bioreactors
Author(s) -
Weber Sebastian,
Schaepe Sebastian,
Freyer Stephan,
Kopf MichaelHelmut,
Dietzsch Christian
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
engineering in life sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.547
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1618-2863
pISSN - 1618-0240
DOI - 10.1002/elsc.201700169
Subject(s) - continuous stirred tank reactor , aeration , mass transfer , bioreactor , jet (fluid) , yield (engineering) , airlift , nuclear engineering , process engineering , materials science , environmental science , mechanics , chemistry , chemical engineering , waste management , thermodynamics , chromatography , physics , engineering , organic chemistry
In industrial biotechnology increasing reactor volumes have the potential to reduce production costs. Whenever the achievable space time yield is determined by the mass transfer performance of the reactor, energy efficiency plays an important role to meet the requirements regarding low investment and operating costs. Based on theoretical calculations, compared to bubble column, airlift reactor, and aerated stirred tank, the jet loop reactor shows the potential for an enhanced energetic efficiency at high mass transfer rates. Interestingly, its technical application in standard biotechnological production processes has not yet been realized. Compared to a stirred tank reactor powered by Rushton turbines, maximum oxygen transfer rates about 200% higher were achieved in a jet loop reactor at identical power input in a fed batch fermentation process. Moreover, a model‐based analysis of yield coefficients and growth kinetics showed that E. coli can be cultivated in jet loop reactors without significant differences in biomass growth. Based on an aerobic fermentation process, the assessment of energetic oxygen transfer efficiency [kgO 2 kW −1 h −1 ] for a jet loop reactor yielded an improvement of almost 100%. The jet loop reactor could be operated at mass transfer rates 67% higher compared to a stirred tank. Thus, an increase of 40% in maximum space time yield [kg m −3 h −1 ] could be observed.