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Turbulent breakage of protein precipitates in mechanically stirred bioreactors

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Abstract

Experimental data relating to the breakage of isoelectric Soya protein precipitates in a mechanically agitated bioreactor are provided and examined in the light of a proposed mechanistic model which relates the size of the maximum attainable aggregate diameter to the energy dissipation rate in the vessel. The analysis suggests that protein precipitation results in the formation of scale-invariant fractal aggregates with a dimensionality of 2.2. Comparing the fractal dimensionality of the protein precipitates with reported values based on computer simulation studies suggests that the aggregates undergo considerable restructuring during agitation.

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Abbreviations

A :

Hamaker constant (J)

D :

impeller diameter (m)

d p :

primary particle diameter (m)

d f :

maximum aggregate diameter (m)

G :

shear rate (s–1)

H 0 :

separation distance between two primary particles (m)

k :

constant in Eq. (5)

K :

constant in Eq. (6)

N :

impeller speed (rpm or rps)

r :

radial position in an aggregate, measured from the centre (m)

t :

time of exposure to shear (mins)

T e :

eddy period (s–1)

v f :

aggregate volume (m3)

β :

aggregate dimensionality constant

ɛ :

energy dissipation rate (W/kg)

μ :

dynamic viscosity of particle-free liquid (kg/ms)

ν :

kinematic viscosity of particle-free liquid (m2/s)

ξ :

collision probability (−)

ρ p :

aggregate density (kg/m3)

ρ p :

continuous phase density (kg/m3)

σ :

aggregate mechanical strength (N/m2)

τ :

shear stress (N/m2)

φ :

particle concentration in an aggregate (m3/m3)

Ψ(r) :

porosity at radial position, r

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, WC1E 7JE, London, UK

    P. Ayazi Shamlou, S. Stavrinides, N. Titchener-Hooker & M. Hoare

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  1. P. Ayazi Shamlou
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  2. S. Stavrinides
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  3. N. Titchener-Hooker
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  4. M. Hoare
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Ayazi Shamlou, P., Stavrinides, S., Titchener-Hooker, N. et al. Turbulent breakage of protein precipitates in mechanically stirred bioreactors. Bioprocess Engineering 14, 237–243 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00369919

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