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Parametric numerical study and optimization of mass transfer and bubble size distribution in a gas-liquid stirred tank bioreactor equipped with Rushton turbine using computational fluid dynamics

  • Sanaz Salehi , Amir Heydarinasab EMAIL logo , Farshid Pajoum Shariati , Ali Taghvaie Nakhjiri and Kourosh Abdollahi
Published/Copyright: July 20, 2021
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International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering
From the journal International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering Volume 19 Issue 10

Abstract

Designing and optimizing a bioreactor can be an especially challenging process. Computational modelling is an effective tool to investigate the effects of various operating parameters on bioreactor performance and identify the optimum ones. In this work, a computational fluid dynamics-population balance model (CFD-PBM) was developed to elucidate the effect of different geometrical and operating parameters on the hydrodynamics and mass transfer coefficient of a batch stirred tank bioreactor. The validated model was projected to predict the effect of different parameters including the gas flow rate, the impeller off-bottom clearance, the number of agitator blades, and rotational speed of the impeller on the velocity profiles, air volume fraction, bubble size distribution, and the local gas mass transfer coefficient (K l a) in the bioreactor. Air bubble breakup and coalescence phenomena were considered in all simulations. Factorial experimental design approach was employed to statistically investigate the impacts of the aforementioned operating and geometrical parameters on K l a and bubble size distribution in the bioreactor in order to determine the most significant parameters. This can give an essential insight into the most impactful factors when it comes to designing and scaling up a bioreactor.

Keywords: bioreactor; bubble size; CFD simulation; mass transfer coefficient; population balance model
Corresponding author: Amir Heydarinasab, Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, E-mail:

  1. Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.

  2. Research funding: None declared.

  3. Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Supplementary Material

The online version of this article offers supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/ijcre-2021-0083).

Received: 2021-04-27
Accepted: 2021-07-05
Published Online: 2021-07-20

© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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  2. Review
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https://doi.org/10.1515/ijcre-2021-0083
Keywords for this article
bioreactor; bubble size; CFD simulation; mass transfer coefficient; population balance model

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Review
  3. Nanoreactors: properties, applications and characterization
  4. Articles
  5. Numerical simulation of the particle-wall collision strength and swirling effect on the performance of the axial flow cyclone separator
  6. Development and experimental validation of reactor kinetic model for catalytic cracking of eugenol, a potential bio additive fuel blend
  7. Effect of flue gas components on the NO removal and element mercury oxidation performance of Mn-modified low-temperature catalyst
  8. CFD analysis and RSM optimization of obstacle layout in Tesla micromixer
  9. Non-invasive morphological characterization of cellular loofa sponges using digital microscopy and micro-CT
  10. Residence time distribution studies on recycle reactor with recirculation
  11. The influence of membrane electrode assembly’s pressing on PEM fuel cell’s performance
  12. Oxidative hydrolysis of Fe(Ⅱ) in the process of hydrothermal synthesis of hematite
  13. Parametric numerical study and optimization of mass transfer and bubble size distribution in a gas-liquid stirred tank bioreactor equipped with Rushton turbine using computational fluid dynamics
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