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Oxygen transfer in a pressurized airlift bioreactor

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Abstract

Airlift bioreactors (ALBs) offer advantages over conventional systems, such as simplicity of construction, reduced risk of contamination, and efficient gas–liquid dispersion with low power consumption. ALBs are usually operated under atmospheric pressure. However, in bioprocesses with high oxygen demand, such as high cell density cultures, oxygen limitation may occur even when operating with high superficial gas velocity and air enriched with oxygen. One way of overcoming this drawback is to pressurize the reactor. In this configuration, it is important to assess the influence of bioreactor internal pressure on the gas hold-up, volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (\(k_{\text{L}} a\)), and volumetric oxygen transfer rate (\({\text{OTR}}\)). Experiments were carried out in a concentric-tube airlift bioreactor with a 5 dm3 working volume, equipped with a system for automatic monitoring and control of the pressure, temperature, and inlet gas flow rate. The results showed that, in disagreement with previous published results for bubble column and external loop airlift reactors, overpressure did not significantly affect \(k_{\text{L}} a\) within the studied ranges of pressure (0.1–0.4 MPa) and superficial gas velocity in the riser (0.032–0.065 m s−1). Nevertheless, a positive effect on \({\text{OTR}}\) was observed: it increased up to 5.4 times, surpassing by 2.3 times the oxygen transfer in a 4 dm3 stirred tank reactor operated under standard cultivation conditions. These results contribute to the development of non-conventional reactors, especially pneumatic bioreactors operated using novel strategies for oxygen control.

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Abbreviations

\(a\) :

Gas–liquid interfacial area per unit of liquid volume (m−1)

A :

Gas–liquid interfacial area (m2)

ALB:

Concentric-tube airlift bioreactor

b :

Parameter of Eq. 4 (\({\text{s}}^{c - 1} \,{\text{m}}^{ - c} \,{\text{Pa}}^{ - d}\))

c, d :

Parameters of Eq. 4 (dimensionless)

\(d_{\text{B}}\) :

Mean bubble diameter (m)

\({\text{DOT}}\) :

Dissolved oxygen tension (percent saturation)

\({\text{DOT}}_{ 0}\) :

Initial dissolved oxygen tension (percent saturation)

\({\text{DOT}}_{\text{S}}\) :

Terminal dissolved oxygen tension (percent saturation)

DOC:

Dissolved oxygen concentration (mol m−3)

\({\text{DOC}}^{ *}\) :

Saturated dissolved oxygen concentration (mol m−3)

\(H_{{{\text{O}}_{ 2} }}\) :

Henry’s law constant (m3 Pa mol−1)

\(k_{\text{e}}\) :

Time constant of the oxygen sensor probe (s−1)

\(k_{\text{L}}\) :

Mass transfer coefficient (m−1 s−1)

\(k_{\text{L}} a\) :

Volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (s−1)

\(\dot{n}\) :

Molar gas flow rate (mol s−1)

n :

Stirrer speed (rpm)

\({\text{OTR}}\) :

Volumetric oxygen transfer rate (mmol m−3 s−1)

\(p\) :

Absolute pressure (Pa)

\(p_{\text{cal}}\) :

Calibration pressure (Pa)

Q :

Volumetric gas flow rate (m3 s−1)

R :

Universal gas constant (m3 Pa K−1 mol−1)

STR:

Stirred tank reactor

T :

Temperature (K)

\(t\) :

Time (s)

\(t_{0}\) :

Initial time (s)

\(u_{\text{G}}\) :

Superficial gas velocity (m s−1)

\(u_{\text{GR}}\) :

Superficial gas velocity in the riser (m s−1)

\(u_{\text{L}}\) :

Average liquid circulation velocity (m s−1)

\(u_{\text{R}}\) :

Relative velocity at the gas–liquid interface (m s−1)

\(V_{\text{R}}\) :

Working volume of the bioreactor (dm3)

vvm:

Volume per volume per minute (min−1)

\(y_{{{\text{O}}_{ 2} }}\) :

Oxygen mole fraction (dimensionless)

ε :

Gas hold-up (dimensionless)

\(\phi_{\text{AIR}}\) :

Specific air flow rate (vvm)

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank FAPESP (The State of São Paulo Research Foundation) (Grant Processes 2008/05207-4 and 2011/16605-3) and CAPES (Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education) for funding this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Engineering Graduate Program, Federal University of São Carlos (PPEQ-UFSCar), São Carlos, Brazil

    Gilson Campani, Antônio Carlos Luperni Horta, Roberto Campos Giordano, Alberto Colli Badino & Teresa Cristina Zangirolami

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235, São Carlos, SP, CEP: 13565-905, Brazil

    Marcelo Perencin Arruda Ribeiro, Antônio Carlos Luperni Horta, Roberto Campos Giordano, Alberto Colli Badino & Teresa Cristina Zangirolami

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  1. Gilson Campani
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Correspondence to Teresa Cristina Zangirolami.

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Campani, G., Ribeiro, M.P.A., Horta, A.C.L. et al. Oxygen transfer in a pressurized airlift bioreactor. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 38, 1559–1567 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-015-1397-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-015-1397-4

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