Data for: Ensuring Good Transferability from Pilot- to Large-Scale Optimized Biotech Bubble Column Designs

To improve the efficiency of reactor-geometry optimization, we evaluated the transferability of findings from pilot-scale (950 L) simulations to industrial scale (950 m3).

At constant geometric ratios and aeration (vvm) across scales, highly similar flow patterns were observed, especially in airlift reactors. Reactor design enhancements from pilot scale were transferrable to industrial scale, delivering improvements up to 17% for kLa. Surprisingly, the commercial simulation resulted in an order of magnitude higher gas holdup and kLa than the pilot, owing to longer bubble residence time in the taller vessel.