A comparative study of a fluidised bed reactor and a gas lift loop reactor for the ibe process: Part III. Reactor performances and scale Up

Abstract

Abstract Continuous fermentations using Clostridium spp. DSM 2152 immobilised in calcium alginate beads to produce butanol and isopropanol from glucose were carried out in a fluidised bed reactor with liquid recycle (FBR, 10.9 dm 3 working volume, 41 % solids) and in a gas lift loop reactor (GLR, 11.4 dm 3 working volume, 32% solids). In the FBR in‐situ produced non‐coalescing gas bubbles had a negligible influence on the fluidisation pattern and the steady state results of the fermentation were in accordance with those predicted by a reactor model. The FBR was operated reliably for 5 weeks without decrease of activity. The GLR behaved as a three phase reactor because of the recycled fermentation gas. The steady state fermentation results were as predicted by the GLR model. Scale up to a 50 m 3 FBR and a 65 m 3 GLR led to development of a plug flow with recycle model for the FBR and a stirred tank model for the GLR. On the basis of overall reactor performance and ease of integration with a simultaneous product recovery the FBR is preferred to the GLR for application in a large scale butanol/isopropanol process using immobilised Clostridia spp.