Modeling and simulation of oxygen transfer in airlift fermentors

A mathematical model for simulation of oxygen transfer in airlift fermentors is presented. The airlift fermentor is represented by a number of interconnected compartments, each of which is assumed to be well mixed. In the annular region, the model includes both upflow and downflow for the gas phase. The model contains several adjustable parameters through which important hydrodynamic effects affecting oxygen transfer are incorporated. The effect of hydrostatic pressure is also included in the model. The model is simple enough to be used in design studies and it can be easily adapted to other airlift system configurations. The simulation results show good qualitative agreement with available experimental results.