Combined sulfite method for the measurement of the oxygen transfer coefficient kLa in bioreactors

The combined sulfite method is proposed for the measurement of oxygen transfer coefficients, kLa, in bioreactors. The method consists of a steady-state and a dynamic measurement which are carried out under the same experimental conditions and thus yield data for both methods during one experiment. The applied experimental conditions are shown to avoid chemical enhancement during the steady-state measurement. Moreover, no parallel sulfite oxidation occurs during the oxygen saturation phase of the dynamic measurement. Under the applied experimental conditions, no information about the sulfite oxidation kinetics is required and possible metal ion impurities in sulfite salts do not influence the measurement. The characterization of a laboratory-scale bioreactor aerated with pure oxygen yields kLa values during the steady-state and the dynamic measurements that are in good agreement with the dynamic pressure method, the correctness of which is generally accepted. When air is used for absorption, the steady-state measurement yields kLa values that correlate to the correct variant of the standard dynamic method. The dynamic measurement with air absorption yields a kLa value which considers the influence of the non-uniform bubble size distribution present in bubble-aerated bioreactors.