Air-lift reactors: characterization and applications in biohydrometallurgy

GIAVENO ALEJANDRA,; CHIACCHIARINI PATRICIA,; LAVALLE LAURA,; DONATI, EDGARDO R.

Microbial processing of metal sulphides,

Springer

Año: 2007; p. 169 - 192

The reactors most commonly employed in biohydrometallurgy are the Stirred Tank Reactor (STR), the Bubble Column (BCR) and the Airlift Reactor (ALR). Additionally, cylindrical vessels with a conical bottom known as Pachuca tanks have traditionally been used in biomining. Furthermore, new reactor designs have recently been developed: the Low Energy Bioreactor, the Delft Inclined Plate Bioreactor and the Revolving Drum Bioreactor (Biorotor) (Rossi, 2001). Numerous different papers have been published on bioleaching-biooxidation processes using ALRs and Pachuca tanks (Atkins et. al., 1986; Acevedo et al., 1987; Roy et. al., 2000; Acevedo, 2000; Rossi, 2001; Mousavi et al., 2005; Shi & Fang, 2005); however, there is limited knowledge on the applications and characterization of airlift bioreactors. In an effort to better understand the performance of ALRs, in this chapter we describe a reverse flow airlift reactor designed by our research group and outline the hydrodynamic characterization tests. Moreover, it includes the modeling of the iron (II) oxidation kinetic by a bacterial strain and some biohydrometallurgical applications tests using ores from the north Patagonia region of Argentina.