Title: Hydrodynamics and batch biodegradation of phenol in an Internal Loop Airlift Reactor

Authors: Pichiah Saravanan, Kannan Pakshirajan, Prabirkumar Saha

Addresses: Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India. ' Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India. ' Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam 781039, India

Abstract: Determination of Residence Time Distribution (RTD), oxygen volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k_La) and mixing pattern in an Internal Loop Airlift Reactor (ILALR) for both living and nonliving systems have been investigated in this paper. Optimal operating condition is found at a gas flow rate of 2 l min⁻¹. The estimated k_La values for nonliving and living system at 27°C are 0.004 s⁻¹ and 0.017 s⁻¹ respectively. Batch biodegradation of phenol with an initial concentration of 300 mg l⁻¹ by the mixed microbial culture occurs at a very high degradation rate (0.16 mg l⁻¹ h⁻¹).

Keywords: ILALR; internal loop airlift reactors; volumetric mass transfer coefficient; RTD; residence time distribution; bubble diameter; phenol; Haldane substrate inhibition model; hydrodynamics; batch biodegradation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2010.029840

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2010 Vol.2 No.1/2/3, pp.303 - 315

Published online: 02 Dec 2009 *

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