Validation of a Computationally Efficient Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Model for Industrial Bubble Column Bioreactors

Abstract

In this work we investigated the fluid dynamics in a pilot-scale bubble column equipped with an asymmetric “tree” type sparger at superficial velocities between 0.01 and 0.37 m s–1. We present an extensive experimental data set consisting of overall holdup measurements, liquid velocity, gas velocity, and local gas volume fraction profiles as well as bubble size distributions. The second part of this work examines the modeling of the column using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). It is found that the computationally efficient single bubble size model used in this work offered satisfactory predictions of the complex flow patterns found inside bubble columns operated in the industrially relevant heterogeneous flow regime.

Towards a CFD model of bubble columns containing significant surfactant levels

“…Reported values are the arithmetic average obtained over a one minute measurement period; data being acquired at a rate of 1 kHz. Further details about the measurement approach are available elsewhere (McClure et al, 2014c).…”

“…The measurement approach used was the same as used for an airwater system as previously described (McClure et al, 2014c).…”

“…Hence the aims of this present study are to experimentally quantify the impact of 2-propanol addition (as an analogue of industrial fermentation media) on the hydrodynamics of a pilotscale bubble column, and to use this data to evaluate possible modifications to an existing CFD model (McClure et al, 2014b(McClure et al, , 2014c with the aim of identifying ways in which the CFD model can be modified to account for surfactant containing systems.…”

Polydispersed flow modelling using population balances in an adaptive mesh finite element framework

“…In many works, the value of d, obtained from experiments, has been considered constant over the whole domain for simplicity (McClure et al, 2014). Polydispersed flows on the other hand, by definition, have a dispersed phase whose size varies over space and time, and this variation can be significant in many cases.…”

Oil-water separation efficiency and fluid mechanics of a hydrocyclone

“…With the rapid development of computer technology, computational fluid dynamics method has become an important means for hydrocyclone due to the high speed and low cost [7][8][9][10]. Research of hydrocyclone separation mainly concentrated on solid-liquid aspect.…”