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 (kLa) of carbon monoxide (CO) in a batch cultivation system. The cell concentration (X), acetate concentration (Cace), headspace gas (Nco and N co 2 ), dissolved CO concentration in the fermentation medium (Cco), and mass transfer rate (R) were simulated using a variety of kLa values. The simulated results showed excellent agreement with the experimental data for a kLa of 13/hr. The Cco 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.