Momentum transfer inside a single fibre capillary membrane bioreactor

Abstract

Innovation in biotechnology research has resulted in a number of fungi being identified for diverse industrial applications. One such fungus, which is the subject of this study and has been one of the most intensively studied, is Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Much research has been done in developing optimized membrane bioreactor systems for the cultivation of these fungi because of their potent industrial applications. This research, however, has been hampered by the lack of a thorough understanding of the kinematics of flow, as well as the dynamics of the flow through these devices. Previous analyses of momentum transfer in membrane bioreactors have been entirely based on horizontally orientated bioreactor systems, and ignored the different modes of operations of membrane bioreactors. These models also ignored the osmotic pressure effects brought about by the retention of solutes on the membrane surface. In this study, analytical and numerical solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations for the description of pressure, velocity, and volumetric flow profiles in a single fibre capillary membrane bioreactor (SFCMBR) were developed. These profiles were developed for the lumen and shell sides of the SFCMBR, taking into account osmotic pressure effects, as well as gel and/or cake formation on the lumen surface of the membrane. The analytical models developed are applicable to horizontal and vertical systems, as well as dead-end, continuous open shell, closed-shell, and shell side crossflow modes.