Influence of alcohol addition on gas hold-up, liquid circulation velocity and mass transfer coefficient in a split-rectangular airlift bioreactor

In this work, the effect of alcohol addition on gas hold-up, liquid circulation velocity and gas-liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient was studied in a split-rectangular airlift bioreactor using air-water as a system to which propanol was added in concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 0.1% (v/v). In order to compare the effect of the propanol with other alcohols, methanol and butanol were also used. The experimental results showed that, at high superficial gas velocities, the addition of small amounts of alcohols decreases the difference between the gas hold-up in the riser and the downcomer, which is due to smaller bubble diameter than with the tap water system. This behaviour is enhanced by alcohols with long carbon chain lengths, which has been explained on the basis of surface tension effects. As a result, the addition of alcohol solutions results in a significant decrease in the liquid circulation velocity, which is mainly due to the decrease in the circulation driving force, but also in a strong decrease in the volumetric gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient for superficial gas velocities higher than 0.033 m/s. This surprising result has been explained by a strong decrease in K-L values due to the presence of alcohol and by oxygen depletion due to the increasing amount of small recycled bubbles at high superficial gas velocity. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.