engleski

Dynamics of Bioconversion in Horizontal Rotating Tubular Bioreactor

Horizontal rotating tubular bioreactor (HRTB) is designed as a combination of the "biodisc" reactor and the "thin-layer" bioreactor. The interior of the HRTB is divided by O-ring shaped partition walls, which together with tube wall are supposed to serve as carriers for active layer of biomass. HRTB is horizontally placed on the bearings that enable rotation of the whole bioreactor. The performance of HRTB was investigated with a real biological system in non-sterile conditions. For this purpose a mixed culture was cultivated in simple glucose/yeast extract medium with C:N:P ratio 100:10:4. During the experiment, microbial biofilm was formed on the bioreactor wall and partition walls as well. The dynamics of biological system in HRTB was monitored by withdrawing the samples from five positions along the bioreactor and samples were analysed for glucose and products of metabolism (ethanol and lactate). The bioconversion was investigated in a wide range of process parameters (medium in fow rate 1-10 L h^ -1 and HRTB rotation speed 5-30 min^ -1). Investigation in HRTB showed rapid and efficient glucose conversion into products of metabolism, ethanol and lactate. The rate of glucose consumption along the HRTB depended on medium inflow rate, while rotation speed of the bioreactor did not have significant influence. Complete glucose conversion in HRTB was achieved at inflow rate of up to 6.5 L h^ -1, with its maximum value of 26 g glucose per hour and litre of bioreactor working volume. In this case, ethanol and lactate made 40 - 60 %, of total organic carbon in outflow of HRTB. The results showed that concept of HRTB can he successfully applied in anaerobic and microaerophilic microbial bioprocesses.

bioconversion; biofilm bioreactor; horizontal rotating tubular bioreactor.

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