Naphthalene Mass Transfer from a Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL) in Rotating Baffled and Bead Mill Bioreactors

Abstract

Rotating bead mill and baffled bioreactors have earlier been shown to provide excellent mass transfer and bioremediation rates for naphthalene particulates. In this study, the mass transfer rates of naphthalene and methylnaphthalenes from NAPL into water in both the bead mill and baffled bioreactors are reported. The values of K_La ranged between 1.0 h^?1 and 42 h^?1, similar to values observed with suspended PAH particulates, increasing with bead loadings up to 50% by volume, bead size up to 5.0 mm, rotation rate up to 50 RPM, oil loading up to 72 mL (7.2% volume fraction) and naphthalene loading up to 1000 mg/L (based on the water phase). Baffled bioreactors provided similar volumetric mass transfer coefficients as bead mill bioreactors, but without the loss of working volume due to the presence of solid beads.     

Biodegradation of diesel oil in a baffled roller bioreactor

BACKGROUND: Ex situ bioremediation is a feasible and economical way to remove petroleum pollutants from contaminated soil or water. A baffled roller bioreactor was shown to be effective for biodegradation of diesel oil as a model petroleum pollutant. Microorganisms enriched from an industrially contaminated soil with heavy hydrocarbons were shown to be the best inoculum source for diesel biodegradation. RESULTS: The baffled roller bioreactor demonstrated better performance than control (roller bioreactor without baffles) or bead mill roller (control bioreactor filled partially with spherical beads) bioreactors. Biodegradation consisted of both fast and slow stages for degradation of light and heavy compounds, respectively. Among the tested temperatures ranging from 15 to 35 °C, room temperature (23 °C) was found to be the optimum temperature for biodegradation. The values of maximum specific growth rate and substrate yield (µ_max and Y_XS) for the indigenous microorganisms in the baffled roller bioreactor at room temperature were found to be 0.72 ± 0.08 h^?1 and (7.0 ± 1.0) × 10⁷ cells mg^?1 diesel, respectively. Biodegradation of diesel concentrations up to 200 g L^?1 was achieved with the highest biodegradation rate of 266 mg L^?1 h^?1 at the highest rotation rate of 45 rpm in the baffled roller bioreactor. CONCLUSION: Using indigenous bacteria enriched from industrial contaminated soil at room temperature, a baffled roller bioreactor is able to biodegrade high diesel oil concentrations at high biodegradation rates. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Volumetric Oxygen Mass Transfer Coefficient and Surface Tension in Simulated Salt Bioremediation Media

Toluene can be removed from contaminated sites via bioremediation through the addition of biosurfactant compounds, which reduce the surface tension. However, aeration and mixing must be optimized to ensure an effective volumetric oxygen mass transfer coefficient (k_La). Experiments were perfomed with different salt containing solutions, which were tested either as such, or with different supplements. k_La values obtained at different agitation intensities and aeration rates were compared with those in water, and correlated with power number and superficial gas velocity. Surface tension decreased when surfactin was added to toluene‐containing media. The seawater‐simulating medium exhibited the highest surface tension reduction.     

Improved mass transfer and biodegradation rates of naphthalene particles using a novel bead mill bioreactor

One of the main challenges in the treatment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in controlled bioreactors is the hydrophobicity and low solubility of these compounds in the aqueous phase, resulting in appreciable mass transfer limitations within the bioreactor. To address this challenge, we have developed a modified roller bioreactor (Bead Mill Bioreactor) in which inert particles are used to improve mass transfer from the solid phase to the aqueous phase. Experimental results with naphthalene as a model PAH and Pseudomonas putida as a candidate bacterium indicate that both the mass transfer rate from the solid phase to liquid phase and the biodegradation rate in the Bead Mill Bioreactor (BMB) were significantly higher than those in a conventional roller bioreactor (20‐fold and 5.5‐fold, respectively). The enhancement of mass transfer was dependent on the type, size and volumetric loading of the inert particles, as well as concentration of particulate naphthalene. The highest mass transfer coefficient (k_La = 2.1 h^?1) was achieved with 3 mm glass beads at a volumetric loading of 50% (particle volume/working volume) with 10 000 mg dm^?3 particulate naphthalene. The maximum biodegradation rate of naphthalene attained in the bead mill bioreactor (59.2 mg dm^?3 h^?1 based on the working volume and 118.4 mg dm^?3 h^?1 based on the liquid volume) surpasses most other rates published in the literature and is equivalent to values reported for more complex bioreaction systems. The bead mill bioreactor developed in the present work not only enjoys a simple design but shows excellent performance for treatment of PAHs suspended in an aqueous phase. This fundamental information will be of significant value for future studies involving soil‐bound PAHs. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Oxygen Mass Transfer Rate in a Pressurized Lab‐Scale Stirred Bioreactor

Oxygen mass transfer from air to the liquid phase in bioreactors with aerobic cultures has long been a serious impairment to the productivity of various bioprocesses. An increase of the oxygen mass transfer rate (OTR) can be the key to overcome oxygen limitation. The influence of higher air pressure on OTR was measured and a significantly enhanced OTR could be obtained. The oxygen volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k_La) was described by a function of the air pressure in a stirred lab‐scale pressurized bioreactor. The correlation obtained proved that k_La slightly decreased with higher air pressure, following a power function.     

Wood Pulp as Model Fluid to Mimic the Oxygen Mass Transfer in Aspergillus Niger Fermentation

To characterize the oxygen mass transfer in a fermentation system and to study the efficiency of mixing devices, model fluids are often used so that experimental conditions can be better controlled. In this study, wood pulp suspensions were used in an attempt to mimic the rheological properties of fermentation broths of Aspergillus niger. Two different types of bioreactor were used: a reciprocating plate bioreactor and a stirred (Rushton) bioreactor. The oxygen mass transfer coefficient (K_La) was measured for various mixing intensities, airflow rates and wood pulp concentrations, and a correlation of K_La as a function of the power input per unit volume and the superficial gas velocity was derived for each bioreactor and each pulp concentration. K_La was found to increase with agitation and air flow rate, and was adversely affected by an increase in pulp concentration in the case of the reciprocating plate bioreactor.     

立体传质塔板在乙酸甲酯精馏技改中的应用

选用立体传质塔板取代原乙酸甲酯萃取精馏塔的泡罩塔板进行技术改造,改造后扩产44％,节能约20％,塔压降减小43％,提高了产品质量,降低了原料消耗,技改的设备投资20万元,年增经济效益58．8万元,投资回收期为4个月。     

带静态混合元件的气升式生物反应器传质性能的实验研究

在气升式生物反应器中使用静态混合元件对气液两相的氧传递性能与喷嘴结构、通气水平、装液量之间的变化规律作了初步实验研究。实验结果表明,通气量的提高有助于氧传质系数 Ｋ Ｌａ值的提高,并确定了该反应器的最佳结构和操作条件     

Ozone Mass Transfer in Stirred Vessel

A method is proposed and a model is developed which are capable of providing a correlation of the mass transfer coefficient k_La, with stirrer speed and gas superficial velocity. The method can be adopted for deriving a correlation which can be profitably used for ozone gas–liquid reaction both for assessing the absorption regime and for the simulation of oxidation processes which evolve according to slow reaction regime.     

乳状液膜分离Zn^2＋的界面传质阻力及传质模型

用Ｌｗｅｉｓ恒界面传质池对乳状液膜分离Ｚｎ＾２＋的传质阻力进行实验研究，结果表明由于表面活性剂单分子层的形成，使界面传质阻力占整个传质阻力的８５％。在此基础上所建立的既考虑界面传质阻力又考虑膜破碎的液膜传质模型能使用理论计算值与实验测定值符合较好。     

传质过程系数

系统介绍了传质系数的求算方法，推荐一系列较简单而适用的经验式，供设计时参考     

滴流床中的气液传质

本文提出了同时估算滴流床内气液传质系数和持液量的阶跃响应S域分析法,着重讨论了液体表面张力对床内气液传质系数的影响,并给出了计算床内气液传质系数和持液量的关联式。     

On the Effect of Surfactant on Mass Transfer to Water–Glycerol Solutions in a Pulsed Baffled Reactor

This paper describes the effect of surfactant (0·025%w/w octanol) on mass transfer of oxygen into water–glycerol solutions of viscosity up to 21 mPa s in a pulsed baffled reactor. We also report the effect of air entrainment on the volumetric mass transfer coefficient in the open reactor system. The results show that the presence of octanol in solutions increases the mass transfer rate for all the experimental conditions tested, in particular, a higher percentage increase in k_La was obtained for more viscous solutions. This behaviour can be attributed to the non-coalescing characteristics of the octanol that is added to the water–glycerol solutions. The results of air entrainment on k_La suggest that the effect of the surface air entrained into the system on k_La measurement is insignificant. © 1997 SCI.     

超声内环流气升式反应器传质性能的研究

研究了超声内环流气升式反应器中空气-水-离子交换树脂体系的气液传质与液固传质性能.分别采用电极动态法和离子交换树脂法实验测定了气液传质和液固传质系数.重点考察了表观气速、超声电功率对于气液传质系数以及液固传质系数的影响.实验表明,内环流气升式反应器中表观气速对于气液传质性能影响较大,而超声作用对气液传质影响不大.该反应器中液固传质系数随表观气速的增加而增大;无超声作用情况下,当表观气速达到一定程度时,液固传质系数保持一恒定值.超声作用时,气速增加到4 cm·s-1左右,传质系数达到最大值,随后液固传质系数随着表观气速的增加而逐渐减小,传质系数仍然大于无超声作用时的值.超声对液固传质有较强的促进作用,电功率在150 W左右时,超声对液固传质的促进作用最佳,是不加超声作用时传质系数的两倍左右;但随着电功率的进一步增大,液固传质系数呈现下降趋势.     

波形隔板对平板式生物反应器传质及混合性能的影响

对带波纹隔板的平板式生物反应器,利用计算流体动力学进行流场模拟,验证模型可靠性后,系统分析波纹隔板高/波长(L/l)和波幅/波长(A/l)两个波纹隔板结构参数对反应器传质及流动混合特性的影响. 结果表明,当L/l=12时,传质及流动混合性能较好,液相体积传质系数(kLa)、平均湍动能(Em)、下降区停留时间占循环一周时间之比(q)等表征传质及混合的参数值均较大,得到的液体流速在微藻生长的最佳流速附近. 当A/l=0.8时,反应器的传质性能最优,kLa比采用平直隔板时增加了约10%;当A/l=0.4时,反应器的混合效果最佳,Em比采用平直隔板时增加14.7%.     

新型硅橡胶膜生物反应器用于有机废水处理的膜传质动力学

用中空纤维型硅橡胶管构造了管束式和卷绕式两种膜器,将它们结合进一个生物反应器系统,用于对废水中的挥发性有机化合物（VOC）进行生物降解处理。本文以甲苯为对象,研究了VOC在这种系统中穿过膜的传质问题。基于液-膜-液的串联阻力概念和质量平衡,构造了一个关于膜总传质系数的简单指数模型,用于传质实验的分析。将甲苯溶于水中模拟有机废水,配制适合于甲苯降解细菌生长的培养液,进行了甲苯从废水穿过膜到培养液中的传质实验,并将细菌移植进培养液进行了生物降解条件下的传质实验。对培养液中细菌存在和不存在两种情况下的甲苯传质实验进行了分析。结果表明,总传质系数的指数模型基本上与实验条件符合,所得到的甲苯的总膜传质系数具有10-6m·s-1数量级,卷绕膜器的总传质系数较管束型的稍高,生物反应条件下的总传质系数又较细菌不存在时的稍高。     

Gas‐Liquid Mass Transfer Characteristics in a Rotating‐Drum Bioreactor

The oxygen volumetric mass transfer coefficient is a key parameter to characterize the performance of aerobic bioreactors. A novel rotating‐drum bioreactor (RDB) fitted with a sparger as proposed in a previous work has demonstrated its excellent gas‐liquid mass transfer performance. To provide primary information on the design and scale‐up of the novel RDB, effects of reactor configuration including the number and width of lifters and operation conditions such as rotational speed, aeration rate, and solid volume fraction on mass transfer performance were systematically investigated in a new medium‐sized RDB. Compared with the stirred bioreactor and traditional RDBs, this new RDB exhibits better mass transfer performance. Taking both operational and reactor configuration parameters into consideration, an empirical correlation to predict the volumetric mass transfer coefficient in this type of RDBs was proposed which is valuable for its design and scale‐up.     

Mass transfer in external-loop airlift bioreactors using static mixers

The influence of static mixers on the overall gas-liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient (K_La_L) was examined in an external-loop type airlift bioreactor (approximately 15 L volume, 1.8 m static liquid height, A_r/A_d = 0.444). The study was conducted with aqueous salt solution (0.15 kmol ? m^?3 NaCl) and with pseudoplastic solutions of carboxymethyl cellulose (0.2 ? 0.6 wt./vol. % (g/100 mL) CMC). Over a broad range of power law parameters K (10^?3 ? 10 Pa ? sⁿ) and n (0.5 ? 1.0), the presence of static mixers in the riser was found to enhance the K_La_L relative to mixer-free mode of operation. The extent of increase in K_La_L depended on the fluid “thickness”, K: the higher the K, the greater the K_La_L intensification due to static mixers. For otherwise identical conditions, the presence of static mixers improved K_La_L by 30-500%, depending on the fluid. The boost in K_La_L was associated with increased gas holdup and gas-liquid interfacial area, which arose due to bubble breakup accomplished by the static mixing elements. Potential advantages of static mixers in upgrading the performance of oxygen-limited fermentations were pointed out.     

微通道中液-液萃取传质特性的研究

研究了在一个内径为400 μm管式直线型玻璃微通道中的液-液两相的传质特性,其中去离子水为水相, 煤油（溶质是苯甲酸）为油相, 氮气为气相。实验研究了表面张力、黏度和气体分散相对体积传质系数的影响,结果表明：在内径为400 μm的微通道内,当停留时间为15 s时微通道内的萃取已达到平衡;水相的表面张力和液体黏度显著影响微通道内的传质效率;在液-液系统中引入气相后,水油两相之间的传质效率显著增加。