INFLUENCE OF HYDRODYNAMICS ON PERFORMANCE OF AN AIRLIFT BIOREACTOR

ABSTRACT

The aim of this work is to investigate influence of reactor design flow circulation and physicochemical properties of circulating fluids in air lift bioreactors. In particular we assessed changes in holdups and li uid circulation in order to establish correlation for bioreactor scale up. Among a number of correlations we focused on influence of gas hold up on li uid circulation velocity. !e have also tested a number of e uations in defined region and we determined ade uate coefficients phenomenologically based. Several correlations found in the literature based on theoretical models of fluid flow as well as several semi"empirical and empirical correlations were tested for hydrodynamic modeling of gas"lift bioreactors. All proposed correlations have superficial gas velocity as the only independent parameter while all other parameters are inter"related by complicated and not fully specified correlations. Applicability of the tested correlations was first verified on the available e#perimental data and the best correlations were then combined in a hydrodynamic model of gas"lift bioreactors. This model was then tested against e#perimental results of hydrodynamic performance of several gas"lift bioreactors. !e have identified the most accurate correlations for prediction of gas hold" up$ li uid circulation velocity and slip velocity in each bioreactor"operating regime. In addition$ we have proposed an alternative model for estimation of slip velocities in gas"lift bioreactors of different geometries. In this way we have proposed sets of most accurate correlations for prediction of hydrodynamics in different operating regimes of gas"lift bioreactors.

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