Determination of the just-suspended speed,Njs, in stirred tanks using electrical resistance tomography (ERT)

N_js, the minimum agitation speed to just-suspend dispersed solids in liquids in stirred tanks, is a critical parameter to operate industrial processes. The focus of this work was to develop a novel observer-independent method to experimentally obtain N_js in tanks that cannot be visually inspected internally using electrical resistance tomography (ERT). The mean bulk resistivity was measured across electrodes mounted on an ERT linear sensing probe placed inside a stirred tank containing water and glass beads. As the agitation speed increased, more solids became suspended and the resistivity measured by the probe changed. Plots of resistivity variation vs. agitation speed resulted in an S-shaped curve that could be analyzed to determine N_js. The N_js values obtained with this novel approach compared very favorably with those obtained using other methods requiring transparent tanks. It is expected that the ERT method proposed here could find applications in many industrial solid–liquid mixing processes.     

CFD simulations of gas-liquid-solid stirred reactor: Prediction of critical impeller speed for solid suspension

In this work, simulations have been performed for three phase stirred dispersions using computational fluid dynamics model (CFD). The effects of tank diameter, impeller diameter, impeller design, impeller location, impeller speed, particle size, solid loading and superficial gas velocity have been investigated over a wide range. The Eulerian multi-fluid model has been employed along with the standard k-ε turbulence model to simulate the gas-liquid, solid-liquid and gas-liquid-solid flows in a stirred tank. A multiple reference frame (MRF) approach was used to model the impeller rotation and for this purpose a commercial CFD code, FLUENT 6.2. Prior to the simulation of three phase dispersions, simulations were performed for the two extreme cases of gas-liquid and solid-liquid dispersions and the predictions have been compared with the experimental velocity and hold-up profiles. The three phase CFD predictions have been compared with the experimental data of Chapman et al. [1983. Particle-gas-liquid mixing in stirred vessels, part III: three phase mixing. Chemical Engineering Research and Design 60, 167-181], Rewatkar et al. [1991. Critical impeller speed for solid suspension in mechanical agitated three-phase reactors. 1. Experimental part. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research 30, 1770-1784] and Zhu and Wu [2002. Critical impeller speed for suspending solids in aerated agitation tanks. The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering 80, 1-6] to understand the distribution of solids over a wide range of solid loading (0.34-15 wt%), for different impeller designs (Rushton turbine (RT), pitched blade down and upflow turbines (PBT45)), solid particle sizes (120-) and for various superficial gas velocities (0-10 mm/s). It has been observed that the CFD model could well predict the critical impeller speed over these design and operating conditions.     

Scalar mixing in a turbulent stirred tank with pitched blade turbine: Role of impeller speed perturbation

Mixing of a passive scalar inside a pitched blade turbine (PBT) impeller stirred tank (STR) is studied using large-eddy simulation (LES) coupled with the immersed boundary method (IBM) for resolving moving interfaces. Mixing time is calculated based on the 95% homogenization of the scalar over the entire tank volume. Growth rate of the unmixed tracer volume is observed in order to identify the effects of low frequency macroinstability (MI) oscillations. Mixing time is significantly reduced when the STR flow is perturbed using a step-change in the impeller speed with a specific MI frequency. The enhancement in turbulent kinetic energy and changes in mean flow field due to the perturbation is observed. The spatio-temporal behavior of the large-scale mixing structures for the fixed impeller-speed case and the perturbed case are compared. The mechanism of mixing enhancement is further explored by observing dynamic changes in the concentration distribution and the velocity field over a perturbation cycle. Penalty in power requirement due to perturbation is calculated.     

声波测量在搅拌釜中固体颗粒临界悬浮转速测定的应用

基于声发射测量技术,结合声信号的频谱分析、小波分解和R/S分析,获得了代表颗粒运动的特征信号频段（d₁、d₂频段）。同时,根据声波特征信号频段能量随搅拌转速的规律性变化,以固体颗粒碰撞壁面产生信号高频区域的声能量分率值为特征参数,提出了搅拌釜临界悬浮转速的测量判据,即声能量分率快速减少并开始趋于稳定时所对应的搅拌转速为临界悬浮转速。以水-玻璃珠体系为例,与目测法相比,声波法测量值的平均相对误差为3.51%,具有较高的精度。利用经典的Zweitering临界悬浮转速计算公式对声波法测得的实验数据进行拟合,计算值与测量值之间的平均相对误差为3.17%,表明公式对于临界悬浮转速的计算具有较高的准确性。由此获得了一种快速、准确、安全的搅拌釜反应器临界悬浮转速测量技术,有利于工业生产流程的优化和控制。     

Influence of mechanical stress on the growth of Rhizopus nigricans in stirred bioreactors

This investigation was undertaken in order to examine the factors affecting mechanical damage to micro-organisms in stirred bioreactors. Growth of the mould Rhizopus nigricans was studied in stirred bioreactors at different geometrical and operating parameters. Since experimental results cannot be described by conventional key parameters, a new concept has been suggested. It is based on the analogy to processes of mechanical disintegration. It is shown that the same key parameter, i.e. the ratio of power input to flow rate, can be used for a satisfactory correlation of experimental data on mechanical damage to micro-organisms, which is an important step in the recovery of intracellular products in biotechnology.     

Effect of the impeller imbalance on the bending moment acting on a shaft in a stirred vessel

The bending moment acting on an overhung shaft equipped with an unbalanced impeller, as one of the results of the lateral Fluid-Structure Interactions (FSI) in stirred vessels, was measured using a moment sensor, equipped with digital telemetry. The results show that the imbalance of impeller has a considerable influence on the characteristics of bending moment, such as the mean amplitude and the intensity of amplitude fluctuation. Analysis of the amplitude distribution shows that the distribution is well fitted by a Weibull distribution, which tends to flatten and become more symmetrical about the mean as the imbalance increases. Further analysis of the bending moment power spectral density shows that the speed frequency of the bending moment, whose contribution to the bending moment fluctuation increases with the increasing imbalance, is caused by the imbalance of the stirring structure. These results can be applied to the mechanical design process for the shaft and the stirred vessel supporting it, and the manufacturing control of impeller balance quality.     

基于Hilbert-Huang变换的搅拌釜临界悬浮转速的声发射测量

基于声发射测量技术,结合Hilbert-Huang变换（HHT）,分析搅拌釜壁声发射信号,获得了代表浆液运动的特征频段(20～230 kHz),以特征频段对声信号进行重构。同时,以重构信号能量为特征参数,根据其随搅拌转速的规律性变化,提出了搅拌釜临界悬浮转速的测量判据,即重构信号能量由上升转向平稳时所对应的搅拌转速为临界悬浮转速。与目测法相比,该方法平均相对误差为3.83%,具有较高的精度。进一步,发现外循环加强了搅拌釜内轴向流动,有利于固体悬浮,从而使临界分散转速变小,并建立了外循环搅拌釜临界悬浮转速的预测关联式,平均相对误差为5.78%。由此获得了一种快速、准确、安全的临界悬浮转速的测量技术,有利于工业生产流程的优化和控制。     

Effect of pitched short blades on the flow characteristics in a stirred tank with long-short blades impeller

This work focuses on the design improvement of the long-short blades (LSB) impeller by using pitched short blades (SBs) to regulate the flow field in the stirred vessel. After mesh size evaluation and velocity field validation by the particle image velocimetry, large eddy simulation method coupled with sliding mesh approach was used to study the effect of the pitched SBs on the flow characteristics. We changed the inclined angles of the SBs from 30° to 60° and compared the flow characteristics when the impeller was operated in the down-pumping and up-pumping modes. In the case of down-pumping mode, the power number is relatively smaller and vortexes below the SBs are suppressed, leading to turbulence intensification in the bottom of the vessel. Whereas in the case of up-pumping mode, the axial flow rate in the center increased significantly with bigger power number, resulting in more efficient mass exchange between the axial and radial flows in the whole vessel. The LSB with 45° inclined angle of the SBs in the up-pumping mode has the most uniform distributions of flow field and turbulent kinetic energy compared with other impeller configurations.     

Influence of medium composition on oxygen transfer rate in animal cell culture

Experiments were conducted in a 0.25 m diameter bubble column to investigate the effect of medium composition on oxygen transfer rate. Aqueous solutions, the composition of which mimics a mammalian cell culture medium, are used. The effect on oxygen transfer rate of additives used to protect cells against local hydrodynamic stresses induced by bubble coalescence and bursting is addressed, in the range of operating conditions (aeration rates) met in animal cell cultures. The mass transfer coefficient, the liquid viscosity and surface tension, and the bubble size distribution are measured as a function of liquid composition and of gas superficial velocity, allowing to decouple the effects of the different additive on k_L and on a.     

基于吸引子比较法的卧式搅拌床反应器声发射故障诊断

在卧式搅拌床反应器丙烯聚合工艺中,结块是严重影响装置长期稳定运行和产品质量的隐患之一。本文以时域分析的角度,提出了一种基于吸引子比较法的声发射结块检测技术。该方法通过比较当前状态与正常状态的声发射信号,并借助统计量S值对两个时间序列的分布进行检验,从而判断两者是否由同一机理产生。当S<3时,则表明当前状态为正常;当S>3时,则表明反应器内有95%的可能性发生了结块。冷模实验结果表明,在合理选择传感器位置的前提下,通过对原始声发射信号进行消噪、归一化等预处理后,吸引子比较法能够灵敏地检测出卧式搅拌床反应器内粒径分布的细微变化,继而预警结块的发生。     

Mixing theory for culture and harvest in bioreactors of human mesenchymal stem cells on microcarriers

The use of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in regenerative medicine is a potential major advance for the treatment of many medical conditions, especially with the use of allogeneic therapies where the cells from a single donor can be used to treat ailments in many patients. Such cells must be grown attached to surfaces and for large scale production, it is shown that stirred bioreactors containing ~200 μm particles (microcarriers) can provide such a surface. It is also shown that the just suspended condition, agitator speed N _JS, provides a satisfactory condition for cell growth by minimizing the specific energy dissipation rate, ε_T, in the bioreactor whilst still meeting the oxygen demand of the cells. For the cells to be used for therapeutic purposes, they must be detached from the microcarriers before being cryopreserved. A strategy based on a short period (~7 min) of very high ε_T, based on theories of secondary nucleation, is effective at removing >99% cells. Once removed, the cells are smaller than the Kolmogorov scale of turbulence and hence not damaged. This approach is shown to be successful for culture and detachment in 4 types of stirred bioreactors from 15 mL to 5 L.     

恶劣环境中高速风机叶轮的防腐蚀工艺初探

在金属叶轮表面复合一种防腐蚀结构,使得被输送介质气体与金属结构之间被有效隔离,使高速风机叶轮在恶劣环境中使用寿命有效延长。     

Scale-down studies for assessing the impact of different stress parameters on growth and product quality during animal cell culture

Two series of reproducible fed-batch bench scale cultures have been undertaken, one series simulating the impact of spatial variations in pH and nutrients as found at commercial scale on performance, the other, the impact of fluid dynamic stresses associated with agitation. The first was unsuccessful because, somewhat surprisingly, the use of a peristaltic pump to circulate cells and medium through different spatial environments always led to a similar reduction in culture time and resulting product titre compared to uncirculated controls. This fall was sufficient to essentially mask other effects. In the second, even at maximum specific energy dissipation rates up to ∼160 times > with laminar extensional flow and ∼25 times > with turbulent flow compared to typical commercial conditions, no significant effects were observed on cell growth and viability. Most importantly, in all of the cases studied, product quality was unaffected compared to controls. In addition, it is suggested that because of the possibility of cell line specific behaviour and the relationship between damage to entities and the Kolmogorov scale of turbulence, sensitivity to fluid dynamic stresses is best studied in turbulent bench scale bioreactors.     

The confined impeller stirred tank (CIST): A bench scale testing device for specification of local mixing conditions required in large scale vessels

A new stirred tank geometry, the confined impeller stirred tank (CIST), was designed to provide repeatable testing of the effect of mixing on the performance of chemical additives at the bench scale. The CIST (T = 0.076 m, H = 3T) is filled with five or six impellers. Three impeller geometries were tested: A310, Rushton and Intermig. This paper presents the following hydrodynamic characteristics of the CIST: power number, flow number, momentum number, velocity profiles at different locations in the tank and the transition point from fully turbulent to transitional flow. Based on the scaled velocity profiles, the CIST was able to keep the flow turbulent at Re < 2000 for Rushton turbines and 3200 for Intermigs. The ratio ?_max/?_average was lower for the CIST than for a conventional stirred tank, indicating that the energy dissipation is more uniformly distributed in the CIST. The CIST consistently maintains turbulent flow down to a Reynolds number 10× smaller than that needed in a conventional stirred tank.     

Effect of the inner wall cooling rate on the structure and properties of a polyethylene pipe extruded at a high rotation speed

A novel rotation extrusion processing system was self‐designed to prepare high‐performance polyethylene (PE) pipes. In this study, during the extrusion of the PE pipes at a high mandrel rotation speed, compressed air, as a cooling medium, was introduced through their interior to achieve the quick cooling of the inner wall and the effects of the inner wall cooling rate on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the obtained PE pipes were investigated. The experimental results showed that in contrast to conventional extrusion, the molecular orientation deviated from the axial direction under a high mandrel rotation speed and was fixed by the inner wall cooling; with increasing cooling rate, the orientation degree also increased. On the other hand, cooling promoted the augmentation of spherulites. So when the cooling rate reached a certain high point, the effect of cooling on the formation of spherulites was stronger than that on the fixation of the orientation. A much higher cooling rate decreased the orientation degree, which was closely related to the performance of the PE pipe. As a result, there was an optimal cooling rate of the inner wall during the rotation extrusion for better performance of the PE pipe. When the cooling rate was 1.5°C/s, the hoop strength of the PE pipe produced by the novel extrusion method increased from the original 24.1 MPa up to 37.1 MPa without a decrease in the axial strength, and the pipe's crack initiation time increased from 27 to 70 h. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Influence of power input and aeration method on mass transfer in a laboratory animal cell culture vessel

Large-scale animal cell operation is costly both in terms of facilities and consumables. Hence developmental studies with animal cells normally start at laboratory scale, often using small stirred tanks. In order to better optimise cell performance, it is necessary to know the physical conditions under which the cells are grown. In this study a laboratory-scale vessel (2 dm³ working volume) with two large-bladed paddle impellers was characterised hydrodynamically. Three different aeration methods (surface, sparging and membrane aeration) were investigated and compared. Power input and oxygen transfer rates to culture medium were determined as a function of agitation and gas flow rates. Non-dimensional correlations were established for each case, which can be useful for scale-up purposes. The results obtained indicate that power input is quite dependent on the vessel accessories: for the same agitation rate, the maximum power is required for the membrane structure and the minimum for surface aeration, with the addition of the sparger leading to an intermediate situation. Predictions found in the literature can be used for simple vessels, but may not be applicable when accessories are added to the vessel structure; in such cases, the use of experimental relationships are required. Oxygen transfer rate was dependent on the aeration method and working conditions (agitation and gas flow rates), particularly for sparger aeration. Membrane aeration gave larger oxygen transfer but higher gas pressure and flow rates were required. Surface aeration was the least effective method, nevertheless requiring gas flow rates similar to those used for membrane aeration. The aeration method of choice depends upon the culture and work specificities: surface aeration is limited to small cell concentrations and low oxygen consumption rates. For higher cell concentrations and oxygen consumption rates, both membrane and sparger aeration methods can be applied: the use of the sparger is limited to cells that are not affected by the presence of bubbles or the addition of surfactants, whereas the membrane aeration basket should not be used when a hydrodynamically controlled stirred tank is required.     

Surface modification of non‐woven poly (ethylene terephthalate) fibrous scaffold for improving cell attachment in animal cell culture

BACKGROUND: The development of carriers with biocompatible surfaces are required to meet the needs in animal cell culture. In this work, poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibrous scaffold surfaces were chemically modified to introduce diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) groups. A packed‐bed bioreactor with DEAE‐conjugated PET fibrous scaffolds was investigated for continuous production of HBsAg by r‐CHO cells. RESULTS: The changes of surface properties were characterized by surface hydrophilicity, Attenuated total reflectance (ATR) analysis, element measurement, and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that this treatment could improve surface hydrophilicity and roughness. Using an r‐CHO cell line as model cells, the feasibility of the DEAE‐conjugated PET fibrous scaffold in animal cell culture was evaluated by means of cell attachment efficiency measurement, MTT (3‐(4,5)‐dimethylthiathiazo(‐z‐yl)‐3,5‐di‐phenytetrazoliumromide) assay, and scanning electron microscopy observation. Enhancement of cell attachment and proliferation was exhibited in the cell culture on DEAE‐conjugated PET fibrous scaffolds. r‐CHO cells were cultured for continuous HBsAg production in a packed‐bed bioreactor with DEAE‐conjugated PET fibrous scaffolds. A cell density of 1.2 × 10⁷ cells mL^?1 working volume, cell viability of 92.8% and maximum HBsAg concentration of 3.1 mg L^?1 were achieved. CONCLUSION: The packed‐bed bioreactor system with DEAE‐conjugated PET fibrous scaffolds has the potential for industrial animal cell culture application. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Investigation by laser Doppler velocimetry of the effects of liquid flow rates and feed positions on the flow patterns induced in a stirred tank by an axial-flow impeller

The flow patterns established in a continuously-fed stirred tank, equipped with a Mixel TT axial-flow impeller, have been investigated by laser Doppler velocimetry, for a high and a low value of mean residence time—mixing time ratio. The pseudo-two-dimensional axial-radial-velocity vector plots, as well as the spatial distributions of the tangential velocity component and the velocity profiles around the impeller, show that the interaction between the incoming liquid and the liquid entrained by the agitator rotation cause the flow pattern in the vessel to become strongly three-dimensional, especially in the region between the plane, where the feeding tube lies, and the 180°-downstream plane. The increase in the liquid flow rate and the location of the feed entry both affect the flow pattern, with the latter having a more pronounced effect. The overall process, in this mode of operation, depends upon the appropriate configuration and choice of parameters: for conditions corresponding to high liquid flow rates, the flow patterns indicate the possibility of short-circuiting, when the liquid is fed into the stream being drawn by the agitator and when the outlet is located at the bottom of the vessel.     

Comparison of effective interfacial areas with the actual contact area for gas absorption in a stirred cell

Experiments were carried out in a stirred cell with a flat gas-liquid interface to test the Danckwerts' plot method of measuring effective interfacial area A and physical mass transfer coefficient k_L. Pure CO₂ was absorbed into an aqueous solution of 0.5 mol Na₂CO₃ + 0.5 mol NaHCO₃ per liter, in the presence of a catalyst (arsenite or carbonic anhydrase). Contrary to the findings of Kon and Sandall [1], good agreement has been found between the measured areas and the actual contact area. The experiments of Kon and Sandall [1] are analysed critically.