Geometry and CFD results for AD-retrofit and TPB-up-scaling Report

Abstract

Bioreactors represent one of the main components in biological industrial processes. The numerical study of bioreactors can be performed with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to determine the hydrodynamics, reactions, mass, and heat transfer among phases, among others. As mentioned in the previous report D2.4, CFD is the preferred path when it comes to bioreactor design and scale-up since it maximizes the utilisation of both economic resources and time. CFD hydrodynamic modelling can overcome some of the limitations of expensive experimental techniques used to characterize flow fields and mass concentration fields by solving the balance equations of momentum, turbulence, and continuity (Azargoshasb et al., 2015). In the previous report (Ramonet and Harasek, 2021a), four different reactor types were evaluated with CFD. The geometries simulated on the previous deliverable were the stirred tank reactor both in continuous and batch operation, the plug flow reactor in continuous operation, a bubble column, and an airlift reactor. In bioreactor design, hydrodynamic research with CFD allows a controlled process upscale, performance optimisation, and an understanding of the interaction between different input parameters (Rathore, Shekhawat and Loomba, 2016). CFD studies help improve the understanding of the flow behaviour on the analysed systems (Tu, Yeoh, and Liu, 2008). Geometry and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) results for Anaerobic Digestion (AD) retrofit and Three Phase Bioreactor (TPB) up-scaling report is the third and final report in which ESR 10 participates. The objective of this report is to provide a set of tools for the investigation of bioreactor systems. By means of four tutorials and one short introduction to the open-source software OpenFOAM, a ready-to-use tool for the simulation of mechanical and pneumatic stirred bioreactors is presented. This report provides a step-by-step guide to allow the user to evaluate bioreactors by varying different parameters of provided bioreactor geometries. Enough information is also provided to allow the user to implement geometries different from the ones in this report. In chapter 1 is an introduction to the open-source software OpenFOAM. Chapter 2 is a tutorial on power consumption estimation on Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors (CSTRs) with computational fluid dynamics. Chapter 3 is a tutorial on multiphase mixing with CSTRs. Chapter 5 is an upscaling tutorial for pneumatic-driven anaerobic digesters or bubble columns. Chapter 5 is a tutorial on how to perform optimisation of airlift reactors based on our research. The main advantage of open-source software is that the code is accessible to anyone. In comparison to commercial software, in open-source software, the source code can be inspected, modified, and optimised.