Premium
Dynamic Mixing and Oxygen Transfer in Small, Airlift Loop Bioreactors: Model and Experimental Verification
Author(s) -
Fraser Randall D.,
Ritchie Brian J.,
Hill Gordon A.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
biotechnology progress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.572
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6033
pISSN - 8756-7938
DOI - 10.1021/bp00029a014
Subject(s) - airlift , sparging , aeration , mass transfer , mixing (physics) , mass transfer coefficient , bubble , bioreactor , bubble column reactor , volume (thermodynamics) , mechanics , oxygen , thermodynamics , chemistry , dispersion (optics) , materials science , chromatography , physics , gas bubble , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , optics
Abstract A mechanistic model for mixing and mass transfer in both airlift bubble column and loop bioreactors is described. The model is a useful design tool to improve oxygen‐transfer characteristics. It is shown that the model fits mixing and mass‐transfer experimental data closely. The model confirms that the overall oxygen‐transfer coefficient in the riser of a loop airlift fermentor is similar to that in bubble columns and that lower measured transfer rates are due solely to the dead volume in the downcomer. The effects of parameters such as mass‐transfer coefficient, aeration rate, dispersion coefficient, sparger rotation speed, and liquid circulation velocity are presented in terms of both the liquid‐ and gas‐phase oxygen concentrations.