engleski

Acetate Depletion in Horizontal Rotating Tubular Bioreactor

Horizontal rotating tubular bioreactor (HRTB) is a combination of a "thin-layer bioreactor" and a "biodisc" reactor. The interior of a HRTB is characterised by O-ring shaped discs, which together with internal bioreactor surface, are supposed to serve as carriers for microbial biomass. The performance of a HRTB was investigated in unsterile conditions. Acetate solution supplemented with a nitrogen source, phosphate and some trace elements was used as a growth medium supporting growth of mixed culture of microorganisms. Thus, acetate depletion by the action of a mixed culture in aerobic conditions was chosen as a model process. In a wide range of process parameters (acetate inlet concentration in the range 1.4 and 7.9 g L^ -1, medium inlet flow rate in the range 1.0 - 6.5 L h^ -1, bioreactor rotation speed in the range 5 - 30 min^ -1) was investigated. After the steady-state was established, the samples were whitdrawing from five positions along the bioreactor axes. The experiments showed a rapid and efficient acetate depletion followed biomass growth, that significantly depended on acetate inlet concentration and medium inlet flow rate.

horizontal rotating tubular bioreactor; acetate depletion

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