P. Yu1, T. S. Lee1, Y. Zeng1, H. T. Low2
FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.1, No.3, pp. 235-246, 2005, DOI:10.3970/fdmp.2005.001.235
Abstract A numerical model is developed for the investigation of flow field and mass transport in a micro-bioreactor, of working volume below 5 ml, in which medium mixing is generated by a magnetic stirrer-rod rotating on the bottom. The flow-field results show that a recirculation region exists above the stirrer rod and rotates with it; the related fluid mixing is characterized by a circulation coefficient of up to 0.2 which is about five times smaller than that of a one-litre stirred-tank bioreactor. The oxygen transfer coefficient is less than 5 h-1 which is two orders smaller than… More >