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Influence of gas distributor design on the oxygen transfer characteristics of an airlift fermenter
Author(s) -
Bovonsombut Sittisin,
Wilhelm AnneMarie,
Riba JeanPierre
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.280400303
Subject(s) - distributor , airlift , sparging , industrial fermentation , mass transfer , mixing (physics) , mass transfer coefficient , chemistry , chromatography , chemical engineering , porosity , materials science , fermentation , bioreactor , composite material , mechanical engineering , food science , organic chemistry , engineering , physics , quantum mechanics
The performances of two types of gas distributor (a perforated ring and a porous plate) in an airlift fermenter were compared in the measurement of gas holdup, overall mass transfer coefficient and mixing time, using four aqueous media containing different concentrations of four electrolytes, sugar and antifoam agent in order to simulate fermentation media. In pure water, a 50% higher k L a value was found with the porous plate; this difference was emphasized by adding salts or organic compounds so that the k L a could become two or three times higher with the porous plate. The type of sparger seemed to have very little effect on holdup ratios and mixing times.