STEADY-STATE PERFORMANCE OF A MULTI-STAGE BUBBLE COLUMN BIOREACTOR WITH SUBSTRATE LIMITED MICROBIAL GROWTH

Abstract

The steady-state performance of a multi-stage bubble column bioreactor in which substrate limited microbial growth proceeds is investigated numerically. The back-flow model for representing longitudinal mixing of the liquid phase and the Monod kinetic equation for cell growth are employed here. The influence of the endogenous metabolism of cells is also taken into account. The concentration profiles of substrate and cells, the substrate conversion, the washout condition and the cell productivity are discussed. The effects of various model parameters, especially the back-flow ratio, on such reactor characteristics are presented as equations or figures. Optimal reactor conditions are determined.

KEYWORDS:

• Bubble column
• Bioreactor
• Mixing
• Back-flow model
• Reactor performance

Additional information

Notes on contributors

A. NISHIWAKI

Present address: Department of Industrial Chemisty, Oyama Technical College, Oyama, 323 Japan; to whom correspondence should be addressed.