• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.772-779
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• 2012

For improving performance of conical air diffuser generating fine bubble, both experimental and numerical simulation method were used. After adapting diffusers inner real scale bubble column, suitable for various diffuser submergence, the effect of diffuser submergence on oxygen transfer performance such as Oxygen Transfer Coefficient ($K_{L}a_{20}$) and Standard Oxygen Transfer Efficiency (SOTE) was investigated empirically. As flow patterns for various diffuser number and submergence were revealed throughout hydrodynamic simulation for 2-phase fluid flow of air-water, the cause of the change for oxygen transfer performance was cleared up. As results of experimental performance, $K_{L}a_{20}$ was increased slightly by 7% and SOTE was increased drastically by 39~72%, 5.6% per meter. As results of numerical analysis, air volume fraction, air and water velocity in bioreactor were increased with analogous flow tendency by increasing diffuser number. As diffuser submergence increased, air volume fraction, air and water velocity were decreased slightly. Because circulative co-flow is determinant factor for bubble diffusion and rising velocity, excessive circulation intensity can result to worsen oxygen transfer by shortening bubble retention time and amount.