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Oxygen transfer in an airlift reactor with multiple net draft tubes

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Abstract

A pilot scale airlift reactor with multiple net draft tubes was developed to improve oxygen transfer in the reactor. The reactor was 0.29 m in diameter and 2 m height. A steadystate sulfite oxidation method was applied to determine an overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient. Oxygen transfer of the proposed airlift reactor can be 60–100% higher than that of bubble columns under the same operating conditions.

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Abbreviations

C * mol·dm−3 :

saturated concentration of dissolved oxygen

C L mol·dm−3 :

bulk concentration of dissolved oxygen

G mol/min:

nitrogen flow rate

k L a hr−1 :

the volumetric gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient

Mo 2 g/mol:

molecular weight of oxygen

OTR g/min:

the oxygen transfer rate

U g cm/s:

superficial air velocity

V L dm3 :

volume of the liquid phase

γin :

oxygen mole ratio in the inlet gas

γout :

oxygen mole ratio in the outlet gas

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C.

    W. -T. Wu & D. -Y. Hsiun

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  1. W. -T. Wu
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  2. D. -Y. Hsiun
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Wu, W.T., Hsiun, D.Y. Oxygen transfer in an airlift reactor with multiple net draft tubes. Bioprocess Engineering 15, 59–62 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00372978

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