Agitator Design for Gas-Liquid

Fermenters and Bioreactors Gregory T.

Benz
Visit to download the full and correct content document:
https://ebookmass.com/product/agitator-design-for-gas-liquid-fermenters-and-bioreact
ors-gregory-t-benz/
Agitator Design for Gas–Liquid
Fermenters and Bioreactors
Agitator Design for Gas–Liquid
Fermenters and Bioreactors

Gregory T. Benz

Benz Technology International, Inc.,

Clarksville, OH, USA
Copyright © 2021 by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Joint Publication of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
except as permitted by law. Advice on how to obtain permission to reuse material from this title is available at
http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

The right of Gregory T. Benz to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with law.

Registered Office
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA

Editorial Office
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA

For details of our global editorial offices, customer services, and more information about Wiley products visit
us at www.wiley.com.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some content that
appears in standard print versions of this book may not be available in other formats.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty

In view of ongoing research, equipment modifications, changes in governmental regulations, and the
constant flow of information relating to the use of experimental reagents, equipment, and devices, the reader
is urged to review and evaluate the information provided in the package insert or instructions for each
chemical, piece of equipment, reagent, or device for, among other things, any changes in the instructions or
indication of usage and for added warnings and precautions. While the publisher and authors have used their
best efforts in preparing this work, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy
or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without
limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be
created or extended by sales representatives, written sales materials, or promotional statements for this work.
The fact that an organization, website, or product is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential
source of further information does not mean that the publisher and authors endorse the information or
services the organization, website, or product may provide or recommendations it may make. This work is
sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. The advice
and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a specialist
where appropriate. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or
disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Neither the publisher nor authors
shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special,
incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Benz, Gregory T., author.
Title: Agitator design for gas–liquid fermenters and bioreactors / Gregory
T. Benz, Benz Technology International, Inc., Ohio, US.
Description: First edition. | Hoboken, NJ, USA : Wiley, 2021. | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020051152 (print) | LCCN 2020051153 (ebook) | ISBN
9781119650492 (hardback) | ISBN 9781119650508 (adobe pdf) | ISBN
9781119650539 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Bioreactors–Equipment and supplies. |
Fermentation–Equipment and supplies. | Mixing machinery–Design and
construction. | Gas-liquid interfaces.
Classification: LCC TP248.25.B55 B46 2021 (print) | LCC TP248.25.B55
(ebook) | DDC 660/.28449–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020051152
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020051153

Cover Design: Wiley

Cover Image: © Courtesy Gregory T. Benz

Set in 9.5/12.5pt STIXTwoText by SPi Global, Pondicherry, India

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
I dedicate this book to my late father-in-law, Richard Durchholz, for inspiring me as
an engineer and a person; to Wayne Ramsey, for mentoring me and giving me the
opportunity to design the largest fermenters built by Chemineer up to that point; to
Ms. Jian Li, my colleague and friend, for helping me to succeed in managing the
China office and understanding Chinese culture, and my wife, Kim Benz, for
encouraging me and supporting me in the massive undertaking of writing this book.
 vii

Contents

Preface xix
Foreword xxi
Foreword for Greg Benz xxiii

1 Purpose of Agitator Design 1

­ eferences 2
R

2 Major Steps in Successful Agitator Design 3

­Define Process Results 3
­Define Process Conditions 5
­Choose Tank Geometry 6
­Calculate Equivalent Power/Airflow Combinations for Equal ­
Mass Transfer Rate 7
­Choose Minimum Combined Power 7
­Choose Shaft Speed; Size Impeller System to Draw Required ­
Gassed Power 7
­Decision Point: D/T and Gassing Factors OK? 8
­Mechanical Design 8
­Decision Point: Is the Mechanical Design Feasible? 8
­Repeat to Find Lowest Cost 8
­Repeat for Different Aspect Ratios 9
­Repeat for Different Process Conditions 9
­Finish 9
­Summary of Chapter 10
List of Symbols 10
­References 10
viii Contents

3 Agitator Fundamentals 11
­Agitated Tank Terminology 11
­Prime Mover 11
­Reducer 13
­Shaft Seal 13
­Wetted Parts 13
­Tank Dimensions 14
­How Agitation Parameters Are Calculated 14
­Reynolds Number 15
­Power Number 16
­Pumping Number 17
­Dimensionless Blend Time 17
­Aeration Number 18
­Gassing Factor 18
­Nusselt Number 18
­Froude Number 19
­Prandtl Number 19
­Geometric Ratios 20
­Baffle Number 20
D ­ imensionless Hydraulic Force 20
­Thrust Number 21
T ­ ypical Dimensionless Number Curves 21
­A Primer on Rheology 25
­Newtonian Model 26
­Pseudoplastic or Shear Thinning, Model (Aka Power Law Fluid) 27
B ­ ingham Plastic 27
­Herschel–Bulkley 27
I­ mpeller Apparent Viscosity 29
­A Bit of Impeller Physics 29
­Summary of Chapter 31
List of Symbols 31
Greek Letters   32
­References 32

4 Agitator Behavior under Gassed Conditions 35

F
­ looding 35
­kla Method 35
P
­ ower Draw Method 36
V
­ isual Flow Pattern Method 37
E
­ ffect on Power Draw 38
H
­ oldup 39
 Contents ix

­ xample of Holdup Calculation 40

E
­Holdup “War Story” 40
­Variable Gas Flow Operation 40
­Mechanical Effects 42
­Summary of Chapter 42
List of Symbols 42
­References 43

5 Impeller Types Used in Fermenters 45

­Impeller Flow Patterns 45
Axial Flow 46
Radial Flow 47
Mixed Flow 47
Chaos Flow 48
­Examples of Axial Flow Impellers 49
Low Solidity 49
High Solidity 52
Up-pumping vs. Down Pumping 55
­Examples of Radial Flow Impellers 56
Straight Blade Impeller 56
Disc, aka Rushton, Turbines 57
Smith Turbines 62
CD-6 Turbine by Chemineer; aka Smith Turbine by Many
Manufacturers 62
Deeply Concave Turbines 66
Deep Asymmetric Concave Turbine with Overhang (BT-6) 68
­Examples of Mixed Flow Impellers 73
­Examples of Chaos Impellers 74
Shear Effects 76
Specialty Impellers 78
­Summary of Chapter 80
List of Symbols 80
­References 81

6 Impeller Systems 83
­Why Do We Need a System? 83
Reaction Engineering 83
Fermenter History 84
­Steps to Impeller System Design 85
­Choose Number of Impellers 86
­Choose Placement of Impellers 86
x Contents

­ hoose Type(s) of Impellers 87

C
­Choose Power Split or Distribution Among Impellers 93
­Choose D/T and/or Shaft Speed 93
D/T Effects with Variable Gas Flowrates 96
Conclusions on D/T Ratio 98
­Design to Minimize Shear Damage 99
­Sparger Design 100
Ring Sparger 100
Pre-dispersion 103
Fine Bubble Diffuser 104
­Summary of Chapter 105
List of Symbols 106
­References 106

7 Piloting for Mass Transfer 109

­Why Pilot for Mass Transfer 109
­Methods for Determining kla 112
Sulfite Method 112
Dynamic Method; aka Dynamic Gassing/Degassing Method 112
Steady-State Method; aka Mass Balance Method 113
Combined Dynamic and Steady-State Method 114
­Equipment Needed for Scalable Data 114
Data Gathering Needs 120
­Experimental Protocol 121
­Summary of Chapter 128
List of Symbols 128
­References 129

8 Power and Gas Flow Design and Optimization 131

­What This Chapter Is about 131
­Where We Are in Terms of Design 131
­Design with no Data 131
­Design with Limited Pilot Data 133
­Design with Full Data 135
­Choose Minimum Combined Power 136
­State of Design Completion 141
­Additional Considerations 142
­Summary of Chapter 142
List of Symbols 142
­References 142
 Contents xi

9 Optimizing Operation for Minimum Energy Consumption per Batch 145

­ urpose of This Chapter 145
P
­Prerequisite 145
­Conceptual Overview 145
­Detailed Procedure 146
Minimizing Total Energy Usage 150
­Practical Design 150
­Additional Considerations 150
­Summary of Chapter 152
List of Symbols 152
­References 153

10 Heat Transfer Surfaces and Calculations 155

­ urpose of This Chapter 155
P
­Design Philosophy 155
­Overview of the Problem 156
­Heat Sources 156
­Cooling Sources 157
­Heat Exchange Surface Overview 158
­Principle of Heat Transfer Calculation 164
­Calculations By Type of Surface 166
Vessel Jacket, Agitated Side 166
Simple Unbaffled Jacket, Jacket Side 167
Dimple Jacket, Jacket Side 167
Half-Pipe Coil, Jacket Side 169
Helical Coil, Inside 171
Helical Coil, Process Side 171
Vertical Tube Bundle, Inside 173
Vertical Tube Bundle, Process Side 174
Plate Coil, Inside 175
Plate Coil, Process Side 176
­Example Problem: Vertical Tube Bundle 176
Problem Statement 176
Problem Solution 177
­Additional Consideration: Effect on Power Draw 182
­Additional Consideration: Forces on Heat Exchange Surfaces Used
as Baffles 183
­Additional Consideration: Wall Viscosity 184
­Additional Consideration: Effect of Gas 185
­External Heat Exchange Loops 186
­Summary of Chapter 187
xii Contents

List of Symbols 187

References 189
Further Readings 189

11 Gasses Other Than Air and Liquids Other Than Water 191
­General Principle 191
­Comments on Some Specific Gasses 191
Ammonia 191
Carbon Dioxide 192
Carbon Monoxide 192
Hydrogen 192
Methane 192
Oxygen 192
­Economic Factors 192
­Disposal Factors 193
­Effects of Different Gasses on kla 193
­Effects of Different Gasses on Driving Force 195
­Operating Condition Effects 195
­Constraints on Outlet Concentration 196
­Safety 196
­Liquids Other Than Water 198
­Summary of Chapter 198
List of Symbols 198
­References 199

12 Viscous Fermentation 201

­General Background 201
­Sources of Viscosity 201
­Viscosity Models for Broths 202
­Effect of Viscosity on Power Draw 203
Example Problem 204
Example Problem Answer 204
­Effect of Viscosity on kla 205
­Effect of Viscosity on Holdup 207
­Effect of Viscosity on Blend Time 207
­Effect of Viscosity on Flooding 209
­Caverns 209
Estimating Cavern Size 211
­Xanthan and Gellan Gums 212
Viscosity Models for Gums 213
Installation Survey 214
 Contents xiii

­ ffect of D/T and No. and Type of Impellers on Results ­

E
in Xanthan Gum 217
Production Curve 218
Heat Transfer 218
All-Axial Impeller Design 218
Invisible Draft Tube vs. Axial/Radial Combination 222
­Mycelial Broths 223
Typical Viscosity Model 224
Morphology Effects 224
­Recommendations 225
­Summary of Chapter 227
List of Symbols 227
­References 228

13 Three Phase Fermentation 231

­ eneral Problem 231
G
­Effect on Mass Transfer 231
­Effect on Foam 233
­Emulsion vs. Suspension 233
­Complexity: How to Optimize Operation 233
­Summary of Chapter 234
List of Symbols 234
­References 234

14 Use of CFD in Fermenter Design 237

­Purpose of This Chapter 237
­Basic Theory 237
­Methods of Presenting Data 239
­Velocity Distribution 240
­Cavern Formation 240
­Blending Progress 242
­Flow Around Coils 245
­Bubble Size, kla, Holdup 247
­DO Distribution 248
­Summary of Chapter 250
List of Symbols 250
­References 250

15 Agitator Seal Design Considerations 251

I­ ntroduction 251
­Terminology 251
xiv Contents

­ ain Functions of Fermenter Shaft Seals 252

M
­Common Types of Shaft Seals 254
­Material Considerations 265
­Methods of Lubricating Seals 267
­Seal Environmental Control and Seal Support System 267
­Seal Life Expectations 272
­Special Process Considerations 272
­Summary of Chapter 275
­Reference 275

16 Fermenter Agitator Mounting Methods 277

­Introduction 277
­Top Entering Methods 277
Direct Nozzle Mount 278
Beam Gear Drive Mount with Auxiliary Packing or Lip Seal; Beams Tied
into Vessel Sidewall 281
Beam Gear Drive Mount with Auxiliary Mechanical Seal; Beams Tied
into Vessel Sidewall 283
Beam Gear Drive Mount with Auxiliary Mechanical Seal; Beams Tied
into Building Structure 284
Complete Drive and Seal Mount to Beams Tied into Vessel Sidewall,
with Bellows Connector 285
Complete Drive and Seal Mount to Beams Tied into Building Structure,
with Bellows Connector 287
­Bottom Entering Methods 287
Direct Nozzle Mount 288
Floor Gear Drive Mount with Auxiliary Packing or Lip Seal 288
Floor Gear Drive Mount with Auxiliary Mechanical Seal 289
Floor Integrated Drive and Seal Mount with Bellows Connector 291
­Summary of Chapter 292
­References 292

17 Mechanical Design of Fermenter Agitators 293

I­ ntroduction 293
Impeller Design Philosophy 294
Discussion on Hydraulic Force 295
Shaft Design Philosophy 297
Shaft Design Based on Stress 298
­Simple Example Problem 302
­Sample Problem with Steady Bearing 304
Shaft Design Based On Critical Speed 304
 Contents xv

­ antilevered Designs 306

C
­Example Problem 308
­Units with Steady Bearings 311
Solid Shaft vs. Hollow Shaft 315
Role of FEA in Overall Shaft Design-Simplified Discussion 319
Agitator Gear Drive Selection Concepts 319
­Early History 320
­Loads Imposed 320
­Handle or Isolate Loads? 323
­Handle Loads Option 1: Oversized Commercial Gear Drive 323
­Handle Loads Option 2: Purpose-Built Agitator Drive 324
­Isolate Loads Option 1: Hollow Quill Integrated Drive with Flexibly ­
Coupled Extension Shaft 325
­Isolate Loads Option 2: Outboard Support Bearing Module 328
Bearing Life Considerations 329
Noise Considerations 330
Torsional Natural Frequency 332
­Important or Useful Mechanical Design Features 332
Summary of Chapter 333
List of Symbols 333
Greek Letters 334
­References 334

18 Sanitary Design 335

I­ ntroduction 335
­Definitions 336
­Construction Principles 336
­Wetted Parts Construction Methods 336
Welded Construction 336
In-Tank Couplings 338
Mounting Flange Area 341
Axial Impellers 344
Radial Impellers 345
­Bolts and Nuts 347
­Steady Bearings 348
Use of Castings, 3-D Printing 349
­Polishing Methods and Measures1: Polishing vs. Burnishing 350
­Polishing Methods and Measures2: Lay 351
­Polishing Methods and Measures3: Roughness Average 353
­Electropolish 355
­Passivating 357
xvi Contents

­ ffect on Mechanical Design 357

E
­Summary of Chapter 357
­Additional Sources of Information 358
List of Symbols 358
­References 358

19 Aspect Ratio 359

Acknowledgment 359
­Definition and Illustration of Aspect Ratio 359
­What Is the Optimum Aspect Ratio? 360
­Effects of Z/T on Cost and Performance at a Given Working Volume 361
Vessel Cost 361
Agitator Shaft Design Difficulty 361
Power Required for Mass Transfer 361
Agitator Cost 362
Airflow Requirements 362
Compressor Power 362
DO Uniformity 362
Heat Transfer Capability 363
Real Estate/Land Usage Issues 363
Building Codes; Noise 363
­Illustrative Problem Number 1 363
Vessel Dimensions 364
Airflow and Power 366
Heat Transfer Data and Assumptions 367
Heat Transfer Results 369
Blend Time, DO Uniformity 371
Capital Cost (Agitator Plus Vessel Only) 372
Other Operating Costs 372
So What Is the Optimum Aspect Ratio for This Problem? 373
­Illustrative Problem Number 2 373
­Illustrative Problem Number 3 376
­Summary of Chapter 380
List of Symbols 381
­References 381

20 Vendor Evaluation 383

­ roduct Considerations 383
P
­Gear Drive Ruggedness 384
­Design Technology 384
­Impeller Selection 384
 Contents xvii

­Shaft Design 385

Company Considerations 385
­Reputation with Customers 385
­Company Size 386
­Years in Business 386
­Years Under New Ownership 386
­Employee Turnover 387
­Vertical Integration 387
­R&D Program and Publications 388
­Depth of Application Engineering 389
­Testing Laboratory 389
­ISO Certification (Necessary vs Sufficient) 391
­Quality Control Program (Not Lot Sample; 100%) 391
­Rep vs Direct Sales (a Good Rep Annoys the Manufacturer) 392
­Service Capability 393
­Typical Delivery Times and Performance 393
­Parts Availability 394
­Price (Least Important) 395
­Willingness to Work with Consultants 395
­Vendor Audit Checklist 396
Use of an Outside Consultant 397
­Summary of Chapter 399
List of Symbols 399
­References 400
A. Appendix to Chapter 20 400

21 International Practices 401

I­ ntroduction 401
­North America 401
Vendors 401
Design Practices 402
Selling/Buying Practices 402
Degree of Vertical Integration 403
Role of Design Firms 403
R&D 404
Culture 404
­EU 405
Vendors 405
Design Practices 405
Selling/Buying Practices 405
Degree of Vertical Integration 406
xviii Contents

Role of Design Firms 406

R&D 406
Culture 407
­Japan 407
Vendors 407
Design Practices 407
Selling/Buying Practices 407
Degree of Vertical Integration 408
Role of Design Firms 408
R&D 408
Culture 408
­China 409
Vendors 409
Design Practices 409
Selling/Buying Practices 411
Degree of Vertical Integration 412
Role of Design Firms 412
R&D 412
Culture 413
­Summary of Chapter 413
­Cultural Resources 413

Afterword 415
Index 417
 xix

Preface

This is a book about fluid agitation, as applied to gas–liquid systems such as

­fermenters or bioreactors (We will use those terms interchangeably in this text.).
The specific focus is on mechanically agitated systems, consisting of a closed
­vessel with a rotating shaft and impellers, as this is the most common and versa-
tile way to achieve process objectives in a gas–liquid system. Though airlift and
bubble columns have also been used, they will not be discussed in any detail here,
as that is not the focus of this book.
Many books have been written about fluid agitation. Many books have also been
written about fermentation. Much, though not all, of the material in this book has
been covered in such books. However, all such books cover much more than agita-
tor design for bioreactors. For example, typical books on agitation cover topics
such as solids suspension (almost never an issue in fermentation), highly viscous
systems (>50 000 cP), specialized impellers such as helical ribbons, anchors,
augers, and others that have no use in fermenters, mixing in high-yield stress flu-
ids such as paper stock, etc. Likewise, books on fermenter design usually cover
some topics on agitator design but also cover feeding strategies, reaction kinetics,
cell metabolism, sensitivity to concentration and temperature changes, product
recovery, and a whole host of other topics. Little has been published in such books
about how to acquire the proper pilot data for agitator design, or how to minimize
energy consumption.
The main purpose of this book is to be a single-source reference on all the major
issues related to agitator design for bioreactors. It is intended to save the reader
time by avoiding the need to consult multiple references or sift through many
pages of text to find what is needed specifically for fermenter agitator design. This
book will also cover important related topics such as heat transfer, power cost,
basic agitator mechanical design, and vendor bid evaluation.
Though some introductory fundamental theory is included, the main focus is
on practical application of theory to real-world agitator design. This book is more
of a how-to book than an academic treatise. The relative brevity of the book is
xx Preface

intentional. It is hoped that the brevity will encourage people to actually read the
entire book, not just skim an occasional page or chapter.
This book is intended to be useful for a variety of people. Since it is primarily a
technical document, most readers will have a science or engineering degree. Many
will be Chemical Engineers. Some will be chemists or microbiologists tasked with
operating facilities in a way that can produce scalable data. Academic degrees
among readers will vary from Bachelor up through Post-Doc. Most readers will be
employed by companies using bioprocessing to make valuable products as well as
many making commodity products. Some will work for agitator manufacturers. If
used as a course supplement, some will be college students or professors. Top-
level managers may want to skim the contents to make sure their teams are prop-
erly staffed and have a high-level view of what their team should be doing. They
will find the overview and flow chart described in Chapter 2 especially useful.
Chapters on energy use optimization will also be of interest to business unit man-
agers. Information on bid evaluation should be of interest to procurement profes-
sionals. Although written primarily for users of agitation equipment and operators
of fermentation facilities, engineers employed by agitator manufacturers will
likely find it of interest as it provides a deeper window into the details of these
applications than they are accustomed to, as well as how their bids may be viewed
in a competitive environment.
A note about symbols: rather than make the reader refer to a list of symbols in
the appendix, each chapter has the symbols used in that chapter at the end. That
should save the reader some time. Also, it lets the author use the same symbol for
different purposes in different contexts, reducing the number of symbols needed.
For example, C means off bottom impeller clearance in most cases, but in the
context of mass transfer correlations, it is used as an exponent, and it can also
mean dissolved gas concentration.
Most of the book is focused on gas–liquid agitation, as that is the controlling
parameter for most bioreactors. By that I mean the agitator is primarily designed
to disperse gasses into liquids. This does not mean evolving gas from solution,
which is a separate case. The fundamentals presented are applicable to other pro-
cesses as well, such as miscible liquid blending, but design procedures for these
problem categories are not presented here.

Gregory T. Benz
Benz Technology International, Inc.
 xxi

Foreword

Genetic modification, microbiome, green technology, renewable fuels and chemi-

cals, bio-degradable plastic, pandemic recovery, prebiotics, probiotics, agricul-
tural biologics, world food shortage, meatless meat, animal free dairy, human and
animal health. What do these important concepts have in common? They all rely
on the use of bioreactors to realize the ultimate benefit to current and future
generations.
The most powerful of these products utilized in human and animal health can
generate the world supply in quantities measured in pounds. Vaccines, antibiot-
ics, probiotics, prebiotics, and others have a large portion of their cost included in
research and development, clinical trials, and regulatory approval processes that
bring challenge to this business space. In these cases, the bioreactors capital and
operational cost impact to the cost of goods sold is small compared to the margins
and returns of a successful product launch. These applications historically
required a focus on agitation and reactor design with a focus on functionality
­versus a minimization of operating cost. These products are apportioned in quan-
tities measured in microgram to gram quantities with price measured in millions
of dollars per pound in some cases.
On the other end of the spectrum are commodity products utilized every day in
quantities measured in tens to hundreds of millions of tons per year. Fuel, poly-
mers, industrial chemicals, animal feed ingredients, and the like. These products’
sales prices are measured in pennies to dollars per pound and operate on tight
margins. Making these products in bioreactors is more challenging as a result
requiring a focus on things such as reactor design, power optimization between
the agitator and air compressor can be a competitive advantage or define the
­success or failure of a venture.
The teams I worked with directly had the pleasure of working with Greg Benz
for the past 15 years on commodity products. From development to commerciali-
zation, the details of reactor design mattered significantly in these projects. The
information provided in this book allowed the proper questions to be asked ­during
xxii Foreword

process design. Bench, pilot, and demonstration trials were designed to be

­commercially applicable as a result. This allowed for realistic process design, rate,
titer, and yield demonstrations to be applied to financial and process modeling
early in the process. It also prevented mistakes that saved hundreds of thousands
of dollars through effective understanding prior to spending significant develop-
ment dollars.
Our team worked with the smallest start-ups to the largest most established
biotech companies in the world as a contract research and manufacturing opera-
tion. Each time agitation questions are asked, Greg is the go-to expert that every-
one already knows and has positive experiences with. Greg’s knowledge and
experience in this area is of significant importance to realizing the benefit of mod-
ern biological technology. I am happy to see that he has decided to put his knowl-
edge and experience in a more detailed writing as I have referenced his course
materials hundreds of times in the past 15 years. Thank you to Greg, the biotech-
nology industries favorite “Professional Agitator.”

Jeremy Javers PhD

St. Joseph, MO
1 September 2020
 xxiii

­Foreword for Greg Benz

Bioreactor agitator engineering is a broad mosaic. The image is simple and clear
from a distance, but as the viewer moves closer, a multitude of distinct individual
pieces come into view. Likewise, several diverse disciplines converge in this spe-
cialized field: microbiology, transport phenomena, machine design, metallurgy,
and reliability engineering. During a project, this list is expanded to include man-
ufacturing and procurement. For the practitioner, the challenge is significant.
What information is important? What solutions are time-tested? What are the
common pitfalls? How should all of these pieces be assembled into a unified
design?
There are many books and articles available on the design of agitators and bio-
reactors. However, when the time comes to prepare drawings and make purchases
for an actual project, it becomes apparent that those resources are missing large
swaths of practical information to guide the reader’s design choices. How are bio-
reactor agitators designed in real life? This comprehensive book addresses both
the broad background and the small details needed to deliver a good project, from
design through delivery.
I was excited to learn that Greg Benz was writing this book. We have worked
together for many years designing equipment for bioprocessing facilities, from
cellulosic ethanol to enzyme production to hydrogen-rich gas fermentation. He
has been a trusted mentor and a patient teacher.
Greg is an accomplished practitioner, a true craftsman. His career has spanned
the full scope of the design, manufacturing, and operation of mixing systems,
with a special focus on gas–liquid systems for bioreactors. Through his years at
Chemineer, and later as a well-known and respected mixing consultant, he has
perhaps overseen more bioreactor agitator designs than anyone in the field. His
expertise helped to establish industrial biotechnology as a mature industry.
During our years working together, Greg has offered insight on many questions
not generally answered in fermentor design books, such as: What is the best way
to seal a shaft? What is better: small, fast agitators or big and slow? What are the
xxiv ­Foreword for Greg Ben

most common failure modes? Is metal surface polishing really necessary in

­comparison with other contamination sources? How much polish? What are the
most common failure modes? How much overdesign should be included? Bubble
columns versus stirred tanks? What are the latest innovations? How does fed-
batch impact agitation design? What information should we gather at pilot scale
to ensure commercial-scale success? How should the fermenter be controlled to
maintain a dissolved oxygen level: vary the air or vary the motor speed? How do
agitation performance and power draw change if the mixer is on speed control?
How are baffles designed? How do we clean underneath an impeller? How can
thermal expansion be handled during cleaning and steam-in-place? What heat
transfer coefficient should we expect from internal coils? External jackets? What
vendors are reliable? How do we install this equipment, anyway?
Until now, answers to these questions have been difficult to find, making this
book a treasure trove for a practicing engineer. Additionally, this valuable infor-
mation will fuel the progress of biotechnology, which provides food and energy
resources to people around the world.
Few engineers possess Greg’s wealth of expertise and fewer still take the time to
meticulously summarize their knowledge for the benefit of future generations.
That he did so makes me very glad.

Keith Flanegan, P.E.

IdeaCHEM, Inc.
September 2020
 1

Purpose of Agitator Design

The purpose of using the agitator design principles in this book is to ensure, to the
extent possible, that the user of agitation equipment achieves the process
­objectives and does so in a reliable and economical manner.
Agitators are employed in many different industries. The process results/­
objectives desired from the agitators vary by industry and by application within
each industry. Since an agitator is ultimately nothing more than a kind of pump,
and the agitated tank is essentially a deadheaded pump, it would be ideal if the
objectives could be stated in purely physical terms, mostly related to flow and
head. For example, some would describe agitation in terms of pumping capacity,
characteristic fluid velocity [1], G-value [2], or other physical terms.
Some process results correlate well with simple physical measurements of agi-
tation. For example, the ability to overcome density differences or viscosity ratios
correlates well with characteristic fluid velocities [1]. However, many other
­process objectives do not correlate well with such simple measures. Examples of
process results that have complex relationships to agitation and do not correlate
well with pumping capacity, fluid velocity, or other simple measures would
include blend time, mass transfer rate, heat transfer rate, off-bottom solids sus-
pension, solids suspension degree of uniformity, solids suspension cloud height,
rate of particle attrition or shear damage, dissolved oxygen spatial distribution,
reaction rate, reaction product distribution, and many others.
Since this book is about agitator design for fermenters/bioreactors, we will
focus on the attributes of agitator design most important for those applications.
The most important process result is normally the mass transfer rate (MTR), often
called the OTR, or oxygen transfer rate, when oxygen is the species being trans-
ferred. This is generally the dominant design requirement.
The mass transfer rate depends on more than just agitation, of course. It also
depends on the airflow, the properties of the broth, the organism’s ability to absorb
the transferred gas (OUR, or oxygen uptake rate for aerobic systems), and a host

Agitator Design for Gas–Liquid Fermenters and Bioreactors, First Edition. Gregory T. Benz.
© 2021 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published 2021 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
2 Purpose of Agitator Design

of other factors. The principle agitation parameter for a given system is the power
invested under gassed conditions. Therefore, the principle purposes of agitator
design in this book are enumerated below and expanded upon in subsequent
chapters. In most chapters, we will describe results based on the gas being oxygen.
Chapter 11 will delve into how to handle other gasses.
●● Provide sufficient power input to facilitate the required mass transfer rate. This
will vary with tank geometry, scale of operation, pressure, temperature, allow-
able minimum dissolved gas concentration, and gas flowrate.
●● Use an impeller system designed to maximize fluid mixing and thereby mini-
mize concentration gradients, while still dispersing gas.
●● Provide sufficient overall mixing. Usually, the agitation required to disperse gas
is more than ample for other mixing requirements.
●● Optimization of power used. The same mass transfer rate can be achieved with
different combinations of airflow and agitator power. The total power of agita-
tor and compressor goes through a minimum. Ideally, the design should use
that minimum unless other factors override this desire.
●● Optimization of capital cost. Within a certain design power, there is a range of
acceptable agitator designs. But there can be differences in capital cost among
different designs.
●● Optimization of total batch cycle energy costs. Since batch processes have dif-
ferent OTR requirements at different stages of the batch cycle, the power costs
can be optimized at each stage, thereby minimizing total energy used per batch.
●● Optimization of total system economics. Tank geometry affects capital and
energy costs of both the tank itself and the agitator
●● Assure the final design has the utmost in mechanical integrity. This includes
the tank and the mounting arrangement. Historically, agitators for gas–liquid
contacting have had higher mechanical failure rates than those used for simple
liquid blending, yet the cost of downtime can be very high. We aim to remedy
that by promoting design principles that lead to minimal downtime.
●● Choose vendors that not only build a good product, but can support it in the
field.

­References

1 Hicks, R.W., Morton, J.R., and Fenic, J.G. (1976). How to design agitators for
desired process response. Chemical Engineering Magazine: 22–30.
2 Benz, G.T. (2007). The G-value for agitator design: time to retire it? Chemical
Engineering Progress 103: 43–47.
 3

Major Steps in Successful Agitator Design

This chapter presents an overview of the main steps and logic required to achieve
the best agitation system design. Subsequent chapters will provide more technical
details and fundamental concepts so that each step can be undertaken. Figure 2.1
provides a graphic summary of these steps. We will describe each one in more
detail in the following paragraphs. The flow chart concept used here was inspired
by the procedures in Ref. [1], but is expanded upon in more detail here specifically
for bioreactor design.

­Define Process Results

The first step in agitator design, or, for that matter, the design of any kind of pro-
cess equipment, is to define the expected process result. For agitators, that could
be a number of different things, such as degree of solids suspension, blend time to
some specified degree of uniformity, characteristic fluid velocity, heat transfer
coefficient, etc. While some or all of these process results may be needed or appli-
cable to bioreactor design, in general, the requirement for a certain mass transfer
rate is the most important and difficult to achieve. In other words, when an agita-
tor is designed for mass transfer, the other process requirements are normally
exceeded.
There are two exceptions to this. One is when the mass transfer requirement is
very low (say, less than 10 mmol/l-h). This is sometimes called micro-aeration. In
such a case, there may be minimum liquid velocities or blend time requirements.
However, we feel that such cases are covered well in the general literature, such as
in Refs. [1,2]. Therefore, we will not describe agitator design where velocity or
blend time is the required results for low viscosity liquids. By “low viscosity,” we
typically mean that the viscosity is less than 1000 cP. Viscosities less than 1000 cP
typically have little effect on power draw or blending performance. However, heat

Agitator Design for Gas–Liquid Fermenters and Bioreactors, First Edition. Gregory T. Benz.
© 2021 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published 2021 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Spacerogue
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where
you are located before using this eBook.

Title: Spacerogue

Author: Robert Silverberg

Illustrator: Ed Emshwiller

Release date: November 26, 2023 [eBook #72234]

Language: English

Original publication: New York, NY: Royal Publications, Inc, 1958

Credits: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed

Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK

SPACEROGUE ***
 SPACEROGUE

By WEBBER MARTIN

Illustrated by ED EMSH

The proteus could change its shape

to anything at all—and Herndon
discovered it made a perfect red herring!

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from

Infinity November 1958.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
 CHAPTER I

They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam,

when the stranger wandered by. The stranger's name was Barr
Herndon, and he was a tall man, with a proud, lonely face. It was not
the face he had been born with, though his own had been equally
proud, equally lonely.
He shouldered his way through the crowd. It was a warm and muggy
day and a number of idling passersby had stopped to watch the
auction. The auctioneer was an Agozlid, squat and bull-voiced, and
he held the squirming proteus at arm's length, squeezing it to make it
perform.
"Observe, ladies and gentlemen—observe the shapes, the multitude
of strange and exciting forms!"
The proteus now had the shape of an eight-limbed star, blue-green
at its core, fiery red in each limb. Under the auctioneer's merciless
prodding it began to change, slowly, as its molecules lost their hold
on one another and sought a new conformation.
A snake, a tree, a hooded deathworm—
The Agozlid grinned triumphantly at the crowd, baring fifty inch-long
yellow teeth. "What am I bid?" he demanded in the guttural
Borlaamese language. "Who wants this creature from another sun's
world?"
"Five stellors," said a bright-painted Borlaamese noblewoman down
front.
"Five stellors! Ridiculous, milady. Who'll begin with fifty? A hundred?"
Barr Herndon squinted for a better view. He had seen proteus life-
forms before, and knew something of them. They were strange,
tormented creatures, living in agony from the moment they left their
native world. Their flesh flowed endlessly from shape to shape, and
each change was like the wrenching-apart of limbs by the rack.
"Fifty stellors," chuckled a member of the court of Seigneur Krellig,
absolute ruler of the vast world of Borlaam. "Fifty for the proteus."
"Who'll say seventy-five?" pleaded the Agozlid. "I brought this being
here at the cost of three lives, slaves worth more than a hundred
between them. Will you make me take a loss? Surely five thousand
stellors—"
"Seventy-five," said a voice.
"Eighty," came an immediate response.
"One hundred," said the noblewoman in the front row.
The Agozlid's toothy face became mellow as the bidding rose
spontaneously. From his vantage-point in the last row, Barr Herndon
watched.
The proteus wriggled, attempted to escape, altered itself wildly and
pathetically. Herndon's lips compressed tightly. He knew something
himself of what suffering meant.
"Two hundred," he said.
"A new voice!" crowed the auctioneer. "A voice from the back row!
Five hundred, did you say?"
"Two hundred," Herndon repeated coldly.
"Two-fifty," said a nearby noble promptly.
"And twenty-five more," a hitherto-silent circus proprietor said.
Herndon scowled. Now that he had entered into the situation, he was
—as always—fully committed to it. He would not let the others get
the proteus.
"Four hundred," he said.
For an instant there was silence in the auction-ring, silence enough
for the mocking cry of a low-swooping sea-bird to be clearly audible.
Then a quiet voice from the front said, "Four-fifty."
"Five hundred," Herndon said.
"Five-fifty."
Herndon did not immediately reply, and the Agozlid auctioneer
craned his stubby neck, looking around for the next bidder. "I've
heard five-fifty," he said crooningly. "That's good, but not good
enough."
"Six hundred," Herndon said.
"Six-twenty-five."
Herndon fought down a savage impulse to draw his needler and gun
down his bidding opponent. Instead he tightened his jaws and said,
"Six-fifty."
The proteus squirmed and became a pain-smitten pseudo-cat on the
auction stand. The crowd giggled in delight.
"Six-seventy-five," came the voice.

It had become a two-man contest now, with the others merely

hanging on for the sport of it, waiting to see which man would
weaken first. Herndon eyed his opponent: it was the courtier, a
swarthy red-bearded man with blazing eyes and a double row of
jewels round his doublet. He looked immeasurably wealthy. There
was no hope of outbidding him.
"Seven hundred stellors," Herndon said. He glanced around
hurriedly, found a small boy standing nearby, and bent to whisper to
him.
"Seven-twenty-five," said the noble.
Herndon whispered, "You see that man down front—the one who
just spoke? Run down there and tell him his lady has sent for him,
and wants him at once."
He handed the boy a golden five-stellor piece. The boy stared at it
popeyed a moment, grinned, and slid through the onlookers toward
the front of the ring.
"Nine hundred," Herndon said.
It was considerably more than a proteus might be expected to bring
at auction, and possibly more than even the wealthy noble cared to
spend. But Herndon was aware there was no way out for the noble
except retreat—and he was giving him that avenue.
"Nine hundred is bid," the auctioneer said. "Lord Moaris, will you bid
more?"
"I would," Moaris grunted. "But I am summoned, and must leave." He
looked blankly angry, but he did not question the boy's message.
Herndon noted that down for possible future use. It had been a lucky
guess—but Lord Moaris of the Seigneur's court came running when
his lady bid him do so.
"Nine hundred is bid," the auctioneer repeated. "Do I hear more?
Nine hundred for this fine proteus—who'll make it an even
thousand?"
There was no one. Seconds ticked by, and no voice spoke. Herndon
waited tensely at the edge of the crowd as the auctioneer chanted,
"At nine hundred once, at nine hundred for two, at nine hundred
ultimate—
"Yours for nine hundred, friend. Come forward with your cash. And I
urge you all to return in ten minutes, when we'll be offering some
wonderful pink-hued maidens from Villidon." His hands described a
feminine shape in the air with wonderfully obscene gusto.
Herndon came forward. The crowd had begun to dissipate, and the
inner ring was deserted as he approached the auctioneer. The
proteus had taken on a frog-like shape and sat huddled in on itself
like a statue of gelatin.
Herndon eyed the foul-smelling Agozlid and said, "I'm the one who
bought the proteus. Who gets my money?"
"I do," croaked the auctioneer. "Nine hundred stellors gold, plus thirty
stellors fee, and the beast's yours."
Herndon touched the money-plate at his belt and a coil of hundred-
stellor links came popping forth. He counted off nine of them, broke
the link, and laid them on the desk before the Agozlid. Then he drew
six five-stellor pieces from his pocket and casually dropped them on
the desk.
"Let's have your name for the registry," said the auctioneer after
counting out the money and testing it with a soliscope.
"Barr Herndon."
"Home-world?"
Herndon paused a moment. "Borlaam."
The Agozlid looked up. "You don't seem much like a Borlaamese to
me. Pure-bred?"
"Does it matter to you? I am. I'm from the River Country of Zonnigog,
and my money's good."
Painstakingly the Agozlid inscribed his name in the registry. Then he
glanced up insolently and said, "Very well, Barr Herndon of
Zonnigog. You now own a proteus. You'll be pleased to know that it's
already indoctrinated and enslaved."
"This pleases me very much," said Herndon flatly.
The Agozlid handed Herndon a bright planchet of burnished copper
with a nine-digit number inscribed on it. "This is the code key. In case
you lose your slave, take this to Borlaam Central and they'll trace it
for you." He took from his pocket a tiny projector and slid it across
the desk. "And here's your resonator. It's tuned to a mesh network
installed in the proteus on the submolecular level—it can't change to
affect it. You don't like the way the beast behaves, just twitch the
resonator. It's essential for proper discipline of slaves."
Herndon accepted the resonator. He said, "The proteus probably
knows enough of pain without this instrument. But I'll take it."
The auctioneer seized the proteus and scooped it down from the
auction-stand, dropping it next to Herndon. "Here you are, friend. All
yours now."
The marketplace had cleared somewhat; a crowd had gathered at
the opposite end, where some sort of jewel auction was going on,
but as Herndon looked around he saw he had a clear path over the
cobbled square to the quay beyond.

He walked a few steps away from the auctioneer's booth. The

auctioneer was getting ready for the next segment of his sale, and
Herndon caught a glimpse of three frightened-looking naked Villidon
girls behind the curtain being readied for display.
He stared seaward. Two hundred yards away was the quay, rimmed
by the low sea-wall, and beyond it was the bright green expanse of
the Shining Ocean. For an instant his eyes roved beyond the ocean
even, to the far continent of Zonnigog where he had been born. Then
he looked at the terrified little proteus, halfway through yet another
change of shape.
Nine hundred thirty-five stellors, altogether, for this proteus. Herndon
scowled bitterly. It was a tremendous sum of money, far more than
he could easily have afforded to throw away in one morning—
particularly his first day back on Borlaam after his sojourn on the
outplanets.
But there had been no help for it. He had allowed himself to be
drawn into a situation, and he refused to back off halfway. Not any
more, he said to himself, thinking of the burned and gutted Zonnigog
village plundered by the gay looters of Seigneur Krellig's army.
"Walk toward the sea-wall," he ordered the proteus.
A half-formed mouth said blurredly, "M-master?"
"You understand me, don't you? Then walk toward the sea-wall.
Keep going and don't turn around."
He waited. The proteus formed feet and moved off in an uncertain
shuffle over the well-worn cobbles. Nine hundred thirty-five stellors,
he thought bitterly.
He drew his needler.
The proteus continued walking, through the marketplace and toward
the sea. Someone yelled, "Hey, that thing's going to fall in! We better
stop it!"
"I own it," Herndon called coolly. "Keep away from it, if you value
your own lives."
He received several puzzled glances, but no one moved. The
proteus had almost reached the edge of the sea-wall now, and
paused indecisively. Not even the lowest of life-forms will welcome
its own self-destruction, no matter what surcease from pain can be
attained thereby.
"Mount the wall," Herndon called to it.
Blindly, the proteus obeyed. Herndon's finger caressed the firing-
knob of the needler. He watched the proteus atop the low wall,
staring down into the murky harbor water, and counted to three.
On the third count he fired. The slim needle-projectile sped brightly
across the marketplace and buried itself in the back of the proteus'
body. Death must have been instantaneous; the needle contained a
nerve-poison that was effective on all known forms of life.
The creature stood frozen on the wall an instant, caught midway
between changes, and toppled forward into the water. Herndon
nodded and holstered his weapon. He saw people's heads nodding.
He heard a murmured comment: "Just paid almost a thousand for it,
and first thing he does is shoot it."
It had been a costly morning. Herndon turned as if to walk on, but he
found his way blocked by a small wrinkle-faced man who had come
out of the jewelry-auction crowd across the way.
"My name is Bollar Benjin," the little prune of a man said. His voice
was a harsh croak. His body seemed withered and skimpy. He wore
a tight gray tunic of shabby appearance. "I saw what you just did."
"What of it? It's not illegal to dispose of slaves in public," Herndon
said.
"Only a special kind of man would do it, though," said Bollar Benjin.
"A cruel man—or a foolhardy one. Which are you?"
"Both," Herndon said. "And now, if you'll let me pass—"
"Just one moment." The croaking voice suddenly acquired the snap
of a whip. "Talk to me a moment. If you can spare a thousand
stellors to buy a slave you kill the next moment, you can spare me a
few words."
"What do you want with me?"
"Your services," Benjin said. "I can use a man like you. Are you free
and unbonded?"
Herndon thought of the thousand stellors—almost half his wealth—
that he had thrown away just now. He thought of the Seigneur
Krellig, whom he hated and whom he had vowed so implacably to
kill. And he thought of the wrinkled man before him.
"I am unbonded," he said. "But my price is high. What do you want,
and what can you offer?"
Benjin smiled obliquely and dipped into a hidden pocket of his tunic.
When he drew forth his hand, it was bright with glittering jewels.
"I deal in these," he said. "I can pay well."
The jewels vanished into the pocket again. "If you're interested,"
Benjin said, "come with me."
Herndon nodded. "I'm interested."
"Follow me, then."

CHAPTER II
Herndon had been gone from Borlaam for a year, before this day. A
year before—the seventeenth of the reign of the Seigneur Krellig—a
band of looters had roared through his home village in Zonnigog,
destroying and killing. It had been a high score for the Herndon
family—his father and mother killed in the first sally, his young
brother stolen as a slave, his sister raped and ultimately put to death.
The village had been burned. And only Barr Herndon had escaped,
taking with him twenty thousand stellors of his family's fortune and
killing eight of the Seigneur's best men before departing.
He had left the system, gone to the nineteen-world complex of Meld,
and on Meld XVII he had bought himself a new face that did not bear
the tell-tale features of the Zonnigog aristocracy. Gone were the
sharp, almost razorlike cheekbones, the pale skin, the wide-set black
eyes, the nose jutting from the forehead.
For eight thousand stellors the surgeons of Meld had taken these
things away and given him a new face: broad where the other had
been high, tan-skinned, narrow-eyed, with a majestic hook of a nose
quite unlike any of Zonnigog. He had come back wearing the guise
of a spacerogue, a freebooter, an unemployed mercenary willing to
sign on to the highest bidder.
The Meldian surgeons had changed his face, but they had not
changed his heart. Herndon nurtured the desire for revenge against
Krellig—Krellig the implacable, Krellig the invincible, who cowered
behind the great stone walls of his fortress for fear of the people's
hatred.
Herndon could be patient. But he swore death to Krellig, someday
and somehow.
He stood now in a narrow street in the Avenue of Bronze, high in the
winding complex of streets that formed the Ancient Quarter of the
City of Borlaam, capital of the world of the same name. He had
crossed the city silently, not bothering to speak to his gnomelike
companion Benjin, brooding only on his inner thoughts and hatred.
Benjin indicated a black metal doorway to their left. "We go in here,"
he said. He touched his full hand to the metal of the door and it
jerked upward and out of sight. He stepped through.
Herndon followed and it was as if a great hand had appeared and
wrapped itself about him. He struggled for a moment against the
stasis-field.
"Damn you, Benjin, unwrap me!"
The stasis-field held; calmly, the little man bustled about Herndon,
removing his needler and his four-chambered blaster and the
ceremonial sword at his side.
"Are you weaponless?" Benjin asked. "Yes; you must be. The field
subsides."
Herndon scowled. "You might have warned me. When do I get my
weapons back?"
"Later," Benjin said. "Restrain your temper and come within."
He was led to an inner room where three men and a woman sat
around a wooden conference table. He eyed the foursome curiously.
The men comprised an odd mixture: one had the unmistakable
stamp of noble birth on his face, while the other two had the
coarseness of clay. As for the woman, she was hardly worth a
second-look: slovenly, big-breasted, and raw-faced she was
undoubtedly the mistress of one or more of the others.
Herndon stepped toward them.
Benjin said, "This is Barr Herndon, free spacerogue. I met him at the
market. He had just bought a proteus at auction for nearly a
thousand stellors. I watched him order the creature toward the sea-
wall and put a needle in its back."
"If he's that free with his money," remarked the noble-seeming one in
a rich bass voice, "What need does he have of our employ?"
"Tell us why you killed your slave," Benjin said.
Herndon smiled grimly. "It pleased me to do so."
One of the leather-jerkined commoners shrugged and said, "These
spacerogues don't act like normal men. Benjin, I'm not in favor of
hiring him."
"We need him," the withered man retorted. To Herndon he said,
"Was your act an advertisement, perhaps? To demonstrate your
willingness to kill and your indifference to the moral codes of
humanity?"
"Yes," Herndon lied. It would only hurt his own cause to explain that
he had bought and then killed the proteus only to save it from a
century-long life of endless agony. "It pleased me to kill the creature.
And it served to draw your attention to me."
Benjin smiled and said, "Good. Let me explain who we are, then.
First, names: this is Heitman Oversk, younger brother of the Lord
Moaris."
Herndon stared at the noble. A second son—ah, yes. A familiar
pattern. Second sons, propertyless but bearing within themselves
the spark of nobility, frequently deviated into shadowy paths. "I had
the pleasure of outbidding your brother this morning," he said.
"Outbidding Moaris? Impossible!"
Herndon shrugged. "His lady beckoned him in the middle of the
auction, and he left. Otherwise the proteus would have been his, and
I'd have nine hundred stellors more in my pocket right now."
"These two," Benjin said, indicating the commoners, "are named
Dorgel and Razumod. They have full voice in our organization; we
know no social distinctions. And this—" gesturing to the girl—"is
Marya. She belongs to Dorgel, who does not object to making short-
term loans."
Herndon said, "I object. But state your business with me, Benjin."
The dried little man said, "Fetch a sample, Razumod."
The burly commoner rose from his seat and moved into a dark
corner of the poorly-lit room; he fumbled at a drawer for a moment,
then returned with a gem that sparkled brightly even through his
fisted fingers. He tossed it down on the table, where it gleamed
coldly. Herndon noticed that neither Heitman Oversk nor Dorgel let
their glance linger on the jewel more than a second, and he likewise
turned his head aside.
"Pick it up," Benjin said.
The jewel was icy-cold. Herndon held it lightly and waited.
"Go ahead," Benjin urged. "Study it. Examine its depths. It's a lovely
piece, believe me."
Hesitantly Herndon opened his cupped palm and stared at the gem.
It was broad-faceted, with a luminous inner light, and—he gasped—
a face, within the stone. A woman's face, languorous, beckoning,
seeming to call to him as from the depths of the sea—
Sweat burst out all over him. With an effort he wrenched his gaze
from the stone and cocked his arm; a moment later he had hurled
the gem with all his force into the farthest corner of the room. He
whirled, glared at Benjin, and leaped for him.
"Cheat! Betrayer!"
His hands sought Benjin's throat, but the little man jumped lithely
back, and Dorgel and Razumod interposed themselves hastily
between them. Herndon stared at Razumod's sweaty bulk a moment
and gave ground, quivering with tension.
"You might have warned me," he said.
Benjin smiled apologetically. "It would have ruined the test. We must
have strong men in our organization. Oversk, what do you think?"
"He threw down the stone," Heitman Oversk said heavily. "It's a good
sign. I think I like him."
"Razumod?"
The commoner gave an assenting grunt, as did Dorgel. Herndon
tapped the table and said, "So you're dealing in starstones? And you
gave me one without warning? What if I'd succumbed?"
"We would have sold you the stone and let you leave," Benjin said.
"What sort of work would you have me do?"
Heitman Oversk said, "Our trade is to bring starstones in from the
Rim worlds where they are mined, and sell them to those who can
afford our price. The price, incidentally, is fifty thousand stellors. We
pay eight thousand for them, and are responsible for shipping them
ourselves. We need a supervisor to control the flow of starstones
from our source-world to Borlaam. We can handle the rest at this
end."
"It pays well," Benjin added. "Your wage would be five thousand
stellors per month, plus a full voice in the organization."
Herndon considered. The starstone trade was the most vicious in the
galaxy; the hypnotic gems rapidly became compulsive, and within a
year after being exposed to one constantly a man lost his mind and
became a drooling idiot, able only to contemplate the kaleidoscopic
wonders locked within his stone.
The way to addiction was easy. Only a strong man could voluntarily
rip his eyes from a starstone, once he had glimpsed it. Herndon had
proven himself strong. The sort of man who could slay a newly-
purchased slave could look up from a starstone.
He said, "What are the terms?"
"Full bonding," Benjin said. "Including surgical implantation of a
safety device."
"I don't like that."
"We all wear them," Oversk said. "Even myself."
"If all of you wear them," Herndon said, "To whom are you
responsible?"
"There is joint control. I handle the outworld contacts; Oversk, here,
locates prospective patrons. Dorgel and Razumod are expediters
who deal in collection problems and protection. We control each
other."
"But there must be somebody who has the master-control for the
safety devices," Herndon protested. "Who is that?"
"It rotates from month to month. I hold them this month," Benjin said.
"Next month it is Oversk's turn."

Herndon paced agitatedly up and down in the darkened room. It was

a tempting offer; five thousand a month could allow him to live on
high scales. And Oversk was the brother of Lord Moaris, who was
known to be the Seigneur's confidante.
And Lord Moaris' lady controlled Lord Moaris. Herndon saw a pattern
taking shape, a pattern that ultimately would put the Seigneur Krellig
within his reach.
But he did not care to have his body invaded by safety devices. He
knew how those worked; if he were to cheat against the
organization, betray it, attempt to leave it without due cause,
whoever operated the master-control could reduce him to a
grovelling pain-racked slave instantly. The safety-device could only
be removed by the surgeon who had installed it.
It meant accepting the yoke of this group of starstone smugglers. But
there was a higher purpose in mind for Herndon.
"I conditionally accept," he said. "Tell me specifically what my duties
will be."
Benjin said, "A consignment of starstones has been mined for us on
our source-world, and is soon to be shipped. We want you to travel
to that world and accompany the shipment through space to
Borlaam. We lose much by way of thievery on each shipment—and
there is no way of insuring starstones against loss."
"We know who our thief is," Oversk said. "You would be responsible
for finding him in the act and killing him."
"I'm not a murderer," Herndon said quietly.
"You wear the garb of a spacerogue. That doesn't speak of a very
high moral caliber," Oversk said.
"Besides, no one mentions murder," said Benjin. "Merely execution.
Yes: execution."
Herndon locked his hands together before him and said, "I want two
months' salary in advance. I want to see evidence that all of you are
wearing neuronic mesh under your skins before I let the surgeon
touch me."
"Agreed," Benjin said after a questioning glance around the room.
"Furthermore, I want as an outright gift the sum of nine hundred
thirty golden stellors, which I spent this morning to attract the
attention of a potential employer."
It was a lie, but there was cause for it. It made sense to establish a
dominating relationship with these people as soon as possible. Then
later concessions on their part would come easier.
"Agreed," Benjin said again, more reluctantly.