Analysis of the interfacial force effect on simulated oxygen transfer of a bubble column using computational fluid dynamics

Abstract

Pneumatic bioreactors are a class of reactors increasingly used in bioprocesses, since they provide adequate heat and mass transfer, rapid mixing and good suspension of solids. In this work, oxygen transfer from a square-cross section bubble column bioreactor was evaluated experimentally and numerically using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and the results were compared with data obtained experimentally. Different specific air flow rates (1.0, 3.0 and 5.0 vvm) and drag and lift interfacial forces, were considered in the numerical simulations using the two-fluid Eulerian model. The simulations considering the presence of lift force showed results closer to the experimental data, with the highest values of kLa found for the higher specific air flow rate (5 vvm) analyzed in this study.

Keywords

• Bubble column
• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
• Lift force
• Oxygen transfer