A generalized approach to model oxygen transfer in bioreactors using population balances and computational fluid dynamics

Bubbles break up and coalesce due to interactions with turbulent eddies, giving rise to a distribution of bubble sizes. These effects are included in the modeling approach by solving a population balance model with bubble breakage and coalescence. The population balance model was coupled to multiphase flow equations and solved using a commercial computational fluid mechanics code FLUENT 6. Gas holdup and volumetric mass transfer coefficients were predicted for different superficial velocities and compared to the experimental results of Kawase and Hashimoto (1996). The modeling results showed good agreement with experiment.