SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF POWER CONSUMPTION, GAS DISPERSION AND MASS TRANSFER COEFFICIENT IN A MULTI-PHASE STIRRED BIOREACTOR

Abstract Bio-oxidation leaching of refractory gold concentrate was carried out in a typical gas-liquid-solid three-phase stirred bioreactor. The bacteria, which adhered to solid particle surfaces and spread over the liquid phase, require sufficient oxygen and nutrient of carbon and nitrogen, and then the mass transfer rate should be considered. However, the mass transfer coefficient, which could be used to evaluate the mass transfer rate, was determined by gas holdup, bubble diameter and power consumption. Therefore, a three-phase Eulerian equation with k-ε turbulence model and additional mod...