Improving the Efficiency of a Bioreactor Equipped With Mixed‐Flow Impellers

Abstract The performance of multiple coaxial hybrid impellers in a stirred bioreactor has been experimentally characterized. To accomplish this objective, tests have been performed concerning the growth of the bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii , alginate production, sucrose consumption, and viscosity. The bacterial synthesis of the exopolysaccharide alginate results in an augmented viscosity during cultivation, thereby influencing the oxygen transfer rate. Following a comparative analysis of the results obtained from the traditional Rushton turbines, it has been observed that implementing hybrid impellers yields enhanced biomass production, increased alginate output, and the generation of more viscous cultures. These findings are substantiated by the hydrodynamic data presented in a preceding study.