Modelling of bubble breakage and coalescence in stirred and sparged bioreactor using the Euler–Lagrange approach coupled with volume of fluid method

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60461373%3A22340%2F25%3A43931729" target="_blank" >RIV/60461373:22340/25:43931729 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0017931025005885?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0017931025005885?via%3Dihub</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2025.127249" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2025.127249</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Modelling of bubble breakage and coalescence in stirred and sparged bioreactor using the Euler–Lagrange approach coupled with volume of fluid method

Original language description

Efficient mass transfer is critical for stirred and sparged bioreactors used in cell culture and the production of high-value biopharmaceuticals. Accurate prediction of volumetric mass transfer coefficient kLa requires modelling of not only the dispersed bubbles but also the free surface, which is often overlooked. To address this, we developed an Euler–Lagrange (EL) model coupled with the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method, which allowed us to account for free surface dynamics and quantify its contribution to the total kLa. Since the kLa depends on the bubble size, we accounted for bubble breakage and coalescence as well as shape deformation due to turbulence. Simulations were performed for two bioreactor configurations (250 mL and 3.5 L) across a range of impeller speeds at constant gas feed rates. Results were validated against experimental data, showing strong agreement in both bubble size and kLa. The contribution of free surface to overall kLa appears to be important and comparable to the one of sparged bubbles, particularly in 250 mL reactor with very low gas flow rate. Additionally, we tested and evaluated the influence of additional forces on the results. There, an increase in void fraction, interfacial area and kLa was observed if pressure gradient force (PGF) was included. This occurred by slowing down the bubbles without significantly altering Sauter mean diameter d32. Overall, the proposed EL-VOF model provides a comprehensive and reliable framework for simulating gas-liquid systems. It accurately captures bubble behaviour, size distributions, interactions with the liquid phase and it effects on mass transfer. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

20300 - Mechanical engineering

Project

—

Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER

ISSN

0017-9310

e-ISSN

1879-2189

Volume of the periodical

252

Issue of the periodical within the volume

127249

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

20

Pages from-to

"nestrankovano"

UT code for WoS article

001523736500011

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105009378346