Parallel-operated stirred-columns for microbial process development

摘要

Magnetically driven stirred-columns designed for parallel operation in an incubator chamber operated like shaking flasks were characterized with respect to oxygen mass transfer and volume related power input. Power inputs of 770 (+-) 60 W m~(-3) were measured at a stirrer speed of 900 rpm, which is the same order of magnitude as in stirred-tank reactors and shaking flasks. Oxygen mass transfer coefficients of up to 0.34 (+-) 0.05 s~(-1) were achieved in stirred-columns (E. coli medium). Due to their similarity to stirred-tank reactors with respect to oxygen mass transfer and power input, parallel-operated stirred-columns may be a useful new tool for microbial process development.