Simulating an 800 m³ airlift bioreactor for gas fermentation

The Univeristy of Stuttgart and the University of Queensland utilized Simcenter M-Star to perform Lattice Boltzmann large-eddy simulations of an 800 m³ external-loop airlift bioreactor for large-scale gas fermentation. The study investigated how the parcel approach—representing multiple bubbles as a single computational particle—affects predictions of liquid velocity, gas holdup, turbulence, and mass-transfer-related behavior. The results were compared with finite-volume RANS simulations, demonstrating the potential of LB-LES for resolving transient flow behavior in industrial-scale bioreactors while highlighting important considerations for parcel-based modeling.