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Integrated, extractive, multiphasic fermentations of phase splitting compounds

Abstract

Manufacturing of novel categories of hydrophobic, phase-separating bioproducts, ranging from commodity building blocks for fuels and materials to high-value flavors and fragrances as well as bioproducts that inhibit their production rates such as terpenoid and aromatic compounds (Hassing et al,  2019), can be drastically improved by in-situ liquid-liquid separation in advanced systems such as DAB.bio’s integrated FAST™ bioreactors (Cuellar et al, 2013; Heeres et al, 2014; Pappas and Oudshoorn, 2024). FAST™ (Fermentation Accelerated by Separation Technology) bioreactors have been  shown to be robust and scalable integrated bioreactor technology that enhances yields and significantly minimizes capital and operational expenses.

Delft Advanced Biorenewables BV (DAB.bio) as originally a TU Delft spin-out and the team at TU Delft have been engaged in a long-term joint development of FAST™ technology, with DAB.bio focusing on scale-up, piloting and demonstration plants for commercially relevant products such as butanol  and phenylethanol (Pappas and Oudshoorn, 2024), and TU Delft on a focused series of underpinning, fundamental research projects (Heeres et al, 2015, 2016; Pedraza et al, 2018; Da Costa Basto et al, 2019, 2020, 2024).

Sofar, the fundamental flow phenomena and published scale-up studies in multiphase bioreactors have been described mostly by engineering correlations based on limited comprehensive data across scales. This study explores computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and further experimental validation at  small (2 L) and pilot (100 L) scales of integrated FAST™ bioreactors as a robust tool for modeling, analysis, and design of these complex bioreactors.

The central component of the FAST™ bioreactor is a central downcomer through which the emulsion of broth and hydrophobic, phase splitted ‘oily’ product droplets enters a concentric separation section from a central riser. Within this section, oil droplets ascend for recovery while oil-free broth flows  horizontally back to the fermentation compartment. Two different model systems utilizing commercially relevant solvents (Dodecane and Oleyl Alcohol) were employed successfully to document and analyze FAST™ bioreactor performance.

A CFD model was developed to investigate the impact of emulsion inlet velocity and specific geometries on oil recovery in non-coalescing systems. The model predicted enhanced oil recovery at lower velocities and generally describes ‘oil’ recoveries reasonably accurately.. Additionally, it describes the  (hydraulic load conditions at increased scale for) development of mixing patterns such as roll cells in the critical recirculation zone. separation channel which affect proper operational performance. and guides further optimization of reactor internals and operation.

This study demonstrates the usefulness of model-based predicting of trends in experimental FAST bioreactor operation. Further refinement is useful to enhance model accuracy. Further key challenges relate to implementing realistic coalescence models in the CFD framework and obtaining in-line  measurements of droplet size distribution and flow phenomena within the FAST's internals.

Acknowledgements

This work was carried out within the BE-Basic R&D Program, which was granted a FES subsidy as well as a TKI-BBE grant (TKI-AMBIC-program TKIBE-01003) from the Dutch Ministry of Economic affairs. Dr. Maria Cuellar, Profs Sef Heijnen and Luuk van der Wielen are (indirect and minority) shareholders in DAB BV, following the TU Delft regulations for staff inventors of intellectual property. The butanol fermentation research was supported by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs through the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RvO). We thank our project partners WFBR and Biocleave for their contribution. The butanol fermentation was funded under the name DEI+FASTEST, grant number DEI2719024.

References

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