Oxygen transfer and mixing in a tower cycling fermentor

Tower cycling fermentors for the production of single‐cell protein from volatile substrates were studied. The mass transfer, mixing and circulation patterns, and residence time distribution (RTD) curves were investigated in these vessels. This study suggests that the tower cycling fermentors for volatile substrates fermentation may improve product yields and at the same time reduce the power consumption, thereby resulting in a significant increase in operating cost savings and capital profits. The results of this research further indicate a future potential for commercial scale tower cycling fermentors.