scholarly journals Mixing Characteristics of External Loop Airlift Bioreactor using Electrical Resistance Tomography

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mian Hamood-Ur-Rehman
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistance ◽  
Liquid Velocity ◽  
Mixing Time ◽  
Perforated Plate ◽  
Packed Bed ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
External Loop ◽  
Gas Distributor ◽  
Airlift Bioreactors ◽  
Superficial Liquid Velocity

In the present work, a novel packed bed external loop pneumatically agitated airlift bioreactor with an internal gas distributor (perforated plate) between two rolls of packing in the riser was designed and built. This novel approach combines advantages of packed bed and external loop airlift bioreactors. The main objective of this research work was to characterize the hydrodynamic performance of this novel reactor through a non-intrusive flow visualization technique called electrical resistance tomography (ERT). The tomography images, which were generated using a linear back projection algorithm, were employed to explore the effects of different design parameters and operating conditions. These include the effect of the two packing in the riser and the internal gas distributor (perforated plate) installed between the two packing. Other parameters investigated include the effect of sparger configuration, gas flow rate, and liquid height in the bioreactor on the different hydrodynamic parameters such as gas holdup, mixing time, and liquid circulation velocity. Results showed that the gas holdup and mixing time increased in the presence of the gas distributor, while the riser superficial liquid velocity was decreased. Furthermore, gas holdup and mixing time increased, superficial liquid velocity decreased when decreasing liquid height in the reactor, and when using packing or gas distributor between two packings in the riser. These results can be used to improve mixing characteristics in external loop airlift bioreactors for wider range of applications.

scholarly journals Mixing Characteristics of External Loop Airlift Bioreactor using Electrical Resistance Tomography

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mian Hamood-Ur-Rehman
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistance ◽  
Liquid Velocity ◽  
Mixing Time ◽  
Perforated Plate ◽  
Packed Bed ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
External Loop ◽  
Gas Distributor ◽  
Airlift Bioreactors ◽  
Superficial Liquid Velocity

In the present work, a novel packed bed external loop pneumatically agitated airlift bioreactor with an internal gas distributor (perforated plate) between two rolls of packing in the riser was designed and built. This novel approach combines advantages of packed bed and external loop airlift bioreactors. The main objective of this research work was to characterize the hydrodynamic performance of this novel reactor through a non-intrusive flow visualization technique called electrical resistance tomography (ERT). The tomography images, which were generated using a linear back projection algorithm, were employed to explore the effects of different design parameters and operating conditions. These include the effect of the two packing in the riser and the internal gas distributor (perforated plate) installed between the two packing. Other parameters investigated include the effect of sparger configuration, gas flow rate, and liquid height in the bioreactor on the different hydrodynamic parameters such as gas holdup, mixing time, and liquid circulation velocity. Results showed that the gas holdup and mixing time increased in the presence of the gas distributor, while the riser superficial liquid velocity was decreased. Furthermore, gas holdup and mixing time increased, superficial liquid velocity decreased when decreasing liquid height in the reactor, and when using packing or gas distributor between two packings in the riser. These results can be used to improve mixing characteristics in external loop airlift bioreactors for wider range of applications.

scholarly journals The Effect of a Modified Downcomer on the Hydrodynamics in an External Loop Airlift Reactor

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel T. Jones ◽  
Theodore J. Heindel
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Velocity ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Area Ratio ◽  
Airlift Reactor ◽  
Open Area ◽  
Gas Velocity ◽  
External Loop ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity ◽  
Superficial Liquid Velocity

Gas holdup and superficial liquid velocity in the downcomer and riser are studied for an external loop airlift reactor with an area ratio of 1:16. Two downcomer configurations are investigated consisting of the downcomer open or closed to the atmosphere. Experiments for these two configurations are carried out over a range of superficial gas velocities from UG = 0.5 to 20 cm/s using three aeration plates with open area ratios of 0.62, 0.99 and 2.22%. These results are compared to a bubble column operated with similar operating conditions. Experimental results show that the gas holdup in the riser does not vary significantly with a change in the downcomer configuration or bubble column operation, while a considerable variation is observed in the downcomer gas holdup. Gas holdup in both the riser and downcomer are found to increase with increasing superficial gas velocity. Test results also show that the maximum gas holdup for the three aerator plates is similar, but the gas holdup trends are different. The superficial liquid velocity is found to vary considerably for the two downcomer configurations. However, for both cases the superficial liquid velocity is a function of the superficial gas velocity and/or the flow condition in the downcomer. These observed variations are independent of the aerator plate open area ratio. When the downcomer vent is open to the atmosphere, the superficial liquid velocity is initially observed to increase with increasing superficial gas velocity until the onset of choking occurs in the downcomer. Increasing the superficial gas velocity beyond the onset of choking increases the effect of choking and decreases the superficial liquid velocity. Once maximum choking is reached, the superficial liquid velocity becomes independent of the superficial gas velocity. When the downcomer vent is closed to the atmosphere, the superficial liquid velocity is initially observed to decrease with increasing superficial gas velocity as choking in the downcomer is immediately present. Once maximum choking occurs, the superficial liquid velocity once again becomes independent of the superficial gas velocity.

Gas holdup in an external-loop air-lift fermentor with a contaminated gas distributor

1985 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 1092-1094 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. McManamey ◽  
D. A. J. Wase ◽  
S. Raymahasay
Keyword(s):  
Gas Holdup ◽  
External Loop ◽  
Gas Distributor ◽  
Air Lift

Mass Transfer Studies in a Novel Perforated Plate Bubble Column

2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Dhanasekaran ◽  
T. Karunanithi
Keyword(s):  
Mass Transfer ◽  
Liquid Velocity ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Perforated Plate ◽  
Gas Velocity ◽  
Plate Spacing ◽  
Mass Transfer Studies ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity ◽  
Superficial Liquid Velocity

This investigation reports the experimental and theoretical results carried out to evaluate the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) in a novel hybrid rotating and reciprocating perforated plate bubble column. Countercurrent condition is performed. kLa is studied by the absorption of oxygen from air into deoxygenated water at room temperature (27 ± 1°C). Effects of agitation level, superficial gas velocity, superficial liquid velocity and plate spacing on kLa were analyzed and found to be significant. With an increase in agitation level at a constant superficial gas and liquid velocities, the breakage process of gas bubbles starts to be more pronounced and intensive oxygen mass transfer occurs. Hence, kLa increases sharply. kLa increases with an increase in superficial gas velocity, due to higher gas holdup and the enhanced breakup of bubbles. Similarly, kLa increases with an increase in superficial liquid velocity and the effect is found to be significant. When plate spacing is decreased (by increasing the number of plates), it is observed that the kLa increases at higher superficial gas velocity and agitation level. Correlation is developed for the determination of kLa and found to concur with experimental results. This correlation can be used for the determination of kLa for this hybrid column with 95% accuracy within the range of variables investigated in this present study.

CFD-PBM simulation of hydrodynamics of microbubble column with shear-thinning fluid

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Zhang ◽  
Ping Zhu ◽  
Shuaichao Li ◽  
Wenyuan Fan ◽  
Jingyan Lian
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Turbulent Kinetic Energy ◽  
Radial Direction ◽  
Liquid Velocity ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Gas Velocity ◽  
Gas Distributor ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity ◽  
The Right

Abstract A numerical simulation was performed to study the hydrodynamics of micro-bubble swarm in bubble column with polyacrylamide (PAM) aqueous solution by using computational fluid dynamics coupled with population balance models (CFD-PBM). By considering rheological characteristics of fluid, this approach was able to accurately predict the features of bubble swarm, and validated by comparing with the experimental results. The gas holdup, turbulent kinetic energy and liquid velocity of bubble column have been elucidated by considering the influences of superficial gas velocity and gas distributor size respectively. The results show that with the rise of the superficial gas velocity, the gas holdup and its peak width increase significantly. Especially, the curve peak corresponding to high gas velocity tends to drift obviously toward the right side. Except for the occurrence of a smooth holdup peak at the column center under the condition of the moderate distributor size, the gas holdups for the small and large distributor sizes become flat in the radial direction respectively. The distribution of turbulent kinetic energy presents an increasingly asymmetrical feature in the radial direction and also its variation amplitude enhances obviously with the rise of gas velocity. The increase in gas distributor size can enhance markedly turbulent kinetic energy as well as its overall influenced width. At the low and moderate superficial gas velocity, the curves of the liquid velocity in radial direction present the Gaussian distributions, whereas the perfect distribution always is broken in the symmetry for high gas velocity. Both liquid velocities around the bubble column center and the ones near both column walls go up consistently with the gas distributor size, especially near the walls at the large distributor size condition.

Statistical Analysis of Experimental Variables on Gas Holdup in Novel Bubble Column Using Box-Behnken Design

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Dhanasekaran ◽  
T Karunanithi
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Velocity ◽  
Bubble Column ◽  
Perforated Plate ◽  
Water System ◽  
Gas Holdup ◽  
Bubble Columns ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Stirred Tank Reactors ◽  
Plate Spacing ◽  
Superficial Gas Velocity

A novel hybrid rotating and reciprocating perforated plate bubble column is designed indigenously. The novelty lies in combining the effects of stirred tank reactors, bubble columns and reciprocating plate columns using bevel gear arrangement. Box-Behnken experimental design in response surface methodology is chosen to predict the relationship between experimental variables and desired response of gas holdup. Agitation level, superficial gas velocity, superficial liquid velocity, perforation diameter and plate spacing are used as experimental variables. Air-water system is used in this investigation. The linear, square and interactive effects of experimental variables on gas holdup are studied. The F-test and P values were used to identify the experimental variables that significantly impact gas holdup.

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