Determination of volumetric gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient of carbon monoxide in a batch cultivation system using kinetic simulations.

A mathematical model of microbial kinetics was introduced to predict the overall volumetric gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient (ka) of carbon monoxide (CO) in a batch cultivation system. The cell concentration (X), acetate concentration (C), headspace gas (N and [Formula: see text] ), dissolved CO concentration in the fermentation medium (C), and mass transfer rate (R) were simulated using a variety of ka values. The simulated results showed excellent agreement with the experimental data for a ka of 13/hr. The C values decreased with increase in cultivation times, whereas the maximum mass transfer rate was achieved at the mid-log phase due to vigorous microbial CO consumption rate higher than R. The model suggested in this study may be applied to a variety of microbial systems involving gaseous substrates.