TY - JOUR
T1 - Multiphase microreactors with intensification of oxygen mass transfer rate and mixing performance for bioprocess development
AU - Lladó Maldonado, Susanna
AU - Rasch, Detlev
AU - Kasjanow, Alice
AU - Bouwes, Dominique
AU - Krühne, Ulrich
AU - Krull, Rainer
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - This research is focused on the development of a borosilicate glass-based microbioreactor (MBR) to address two of the challenges that MBRs may be confronted with: poor mixing and mass transfer limitations. To overcome these challenges, a microbubble column-bioreactor (μBC) for biotechnological research was developed and characterized. Pressurized air was supplied through a nozzle (hydraulic diameter 26 μm) at the bottom of the μBC (reactor volume 60 μL). The airflow was accelerated, generating a continuous stream of microbubbles that rose through the μBC. This investigation describes the hydrodynamic and mass transfer characterization of the μBC. The aim of the study was to prove that the pneumatic aeration through a micro nozzle provided sufficient aeration to satisfy the high demand of oxygen of aerobic bioprocesses, and at the same time, it enabled the homogenization of the cultivation broth and avoided the cell sedimentation. For this, the influence of the superficial gas velocity on the volumetric liquid-phase mass transfer coefficient is shown as well as the influence on other mass transport-related parameters, e.g. gas hold-up, Sauter mean bubble diameter, bubble rise velocity, superficial liquid velocity, volumetric power input, and mixing time. Additionally, a simplified computational fluid dynamic model was developed as a complement to this experimental research. The model serves as a supporting numerical tool to estimate the fluid dynamics inside the μBC.
AB - This research is focused on the development of a borosilicate glass-based microbioreactor (MBR) to address two of the challenges that MBRs may be confronted with: poor mixing and mass transfer limitations. To overcome these challenges, a microbubble column-bioreactor (μBC) for biotechnological research was developed and characterized. Pressurized air was supplied through a nozzle (hydraulic diameter 26 μm) at the bottom of the μBC (reactor volume 60 μL). The airflow was accelerated, generating a continuous stream of microbubbles that rose through the μBC. This investigation describes the hydrodynamic and mass transfer characterization of the μBC. The aim of the study was to prove that the pneumatic aeration through a micro nozzle provided sufficient aeration to satisfy the high demand of oxygen of aerobic bioprocesses, and at the same time, it enabled the homogenization of the cultivation broth and avoided the cell sedimentation. For this, the influence of the superficial gas velocity on the volumetric liquid-phase mass transfer coefficient is shown as well as the influence on other mass transport-related parameters, e.g. gas hold-up, Sauter mean bubble diameter, bubble rise velocity, superficial liquid velocity, volumetric power input, and mixing time. Additionally, a simplified computational fluid dynamic model was developed as a complement to this experimental research. The model serves as a supporting numerical tool to estimate the fluid dynamics inside the μBC.
KW - Bubble column
KW - Hydrodynamics
KW - Mass transfer
KW - Microbioreactor
KW - Mixing
KW - Screening platform
U2 - 10.1016/j.bej.2018.07.023
DO - 10.1016/j.bej.2018.07.023
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1369-703X
VL - 139
SP - 57
EP - 67
JO - Biochemical Engineering Journal
JF - Biochemical Engineering Journal
ER -