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Oxygen transfer and gas holdup in airlift bioreactors assembled with helical flow promoters

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Abstract

Bioreactors can perform biochemical conversions mediated by biocatalysts, such as enzymes, animal cells, plants, and microorganisms. Among several existing models, airlift bioreactors are devices with the low shear environment and good mass transfer with low energy consumption, employed in several biochemical processes. The fluid flow is enabled through air injection by the sparger located at the bioreactor base. Despite its simple geometry compared with the conventional bioreactors, airlift performance can be optimized via geometrical modifications. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of the addition of helical flow promoters, positioned in the riser and/or downcomer regions of an airlift of concentric tubes measuring the volumetric oxygen coefficient (kLa) and gas holdup. The results obtained by varying the gas flow rate from 1.0 to 4.0 vvm allowed the system evaluation of oxygen transfer and gas holdup. The inclusion of helical flow promoters increased the kLa, reaching up to 23% in oxygen transfer compared to tests without helicoids and up to 14% increase in the gas holdup. The inclusion of helical flow promotors was beneficial for all gas flow rates. Thus, including these flow promoters is an effective strategy to increase the oxygen transfer rate for bioprocess optimization.

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The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding authors.

Abbreviations

A D :

Cross-sectional downcomer area, m2

A I :

Fluid flow impact area, m2

A R :

Cross-sectional riser area, m2

CFD:

Computational fluid dynamics

CI:

Confidence interval

D 1 :

Outer bioreactor diameter, m

D 2 :

Inner bioreactor diameter, m

D 3 :

Outer draft tube diameter, m

D 4 :

Inner draft tube diameter, m

D H :

Helicoid thickness, m

D L :

Oxygen diffusivity in the liquid phase, m2/s

DO:

Dissolved oxygen, %

D R :

Riser diameter, m

H 1 :

Top clearance, m

H 2 :

Draft tube height, m

H 3 :

Bottom clearance, m

H 4 :

Static liquid height, m

H 5 :

Total height, m

H D :

Dispersion height, m

H L :

Height of the liquid, m

k L a :

Volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient, s−1

N2 :

Nitrogen

OTR:

Oxygen transfer rates

Q G :

Airflow rate, m3/s

Sh :

Sherwood number

t :

Time, s

U GR :

Gas superficial velocity in the riser, m/s

V :

Volume, m3

V LD :

Interstitial liquid velocities in the riser downcomer, m2/s

V LR :

Interstitial liquid velocities in the riser, m2/s

vvm:

Volumetric air flow rate per minute, m3/min by m3

α :

Significance level

∆E V :

Variation of volumetric expansion, m

ε D :

Downcomer gas holdup

ε G :

Global gas holdup

ε R :

Riser gas holdup

µ :

Dynamic viscosity, kg/ms

ρ :

Liquid specific mass, kg/m3

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the financial support provided by the São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (FAPESP, grant 2020/08699-7) and Coordination for the Improvement of Higher-Level Personnel—Brasil (CAPES, Finance Code 001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bioprocesses Engineering and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Araraquara, SP, CEP 14801-902, Brazil

    Bruno W. Picão, Daniele O. Gonçalves, Guilherme Peixoto & Marcel O. Cerri

  2. School of Chemical Engineering, Department of Materials and Engineering Bioprocesses, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil

    Renata M. M. G. P. Ribeiro

  3. Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of São Paulo, Campus Capivari, Capivari, SP, 13360-000, Brazil

    Mateus N. Esperança

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  1. Bruno W. Picão
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Picão, B.W., Gonçalves, D.O., Ribeiro, R.M.M.G.P. et al. Oxygen transfer and gas holdup in airlift bioreactors assembled with helical flow promoters. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 46, 681–692 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-023-02853-w

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