Problem (Shuler and Kargi, pp 303)

After a batch fermentation, the system is dismantled and approximately 75% of the
cell mass is suspended in the liquid phase (2 l), while 25% is attached to the
reactor walls and internals in a thick film (ca. 0.3 cm). Work with radioactive tracers
shows that 50% of the target prod- uct (intracellular) is associated with each cell
fraction. The productivity of this reactor is 2 g product/l at the 2 l scale. What would
be the productivity at 20,000 l scale if both reactors had a height-to-diameter ratio
of 2 to 1?

Solution - Both tanks are geometrically similar, so we can calculate diameter,

surface area and volume in both tanks
1 1 1
V = π D H = π D .2D = π D 3
2 2

4 4 2

S = π D.H = π D.2D = 2π D 2
Sandip Bankar
• For 2 L system - V = 2000 cm3 therefore, D=? S=?

• For 20000 L system- 2 X 107 cm3 therefore, D=? S=?

• At bench scale (2L) the amount of product produced by surface-attached cell is

2g/l X 2L X 1/2 (50%)= 2g, for 738 cm2 surface area

• Amount of product formed at 20,000 L due to surface-attached growth is

342600 cm2/738 cm2 X 2=?? g

Overall yield in 2L system is 2g/l X 2L = 4 g

Overall yield in 20000 L system is- 928g+(2g/LX1/2X20000L)=?? g

Sandip Bankar
 Problem (Shuler and Kargi, pp 325)

Time  (min) DO  (mg/l)

The air supply to a fermenter was -­‐1 3,3
turned off for a short period of time Air  off 0 3,3
1 2,4
and then restarted. A value for C* of 2 1,3
7.3 mg/l has been determined for the 3 0,3
4 0,1
operating conditions. Use the 5 0
tabulated measurements of dissolved Air  on 6 0
oxygen (DO) values to estimate the 7 0,3
8 1
oxygen uptake rate and kLa in this 9 1,6
system. 10 2
11 2,4
12 2,7
13 2,9
14 3
15 3,1
16 3,2
17 3,2
Sandip Bankar
 Oxygen uptake rate in “Air off” region
• Plot DO Vs t
dcL
• Determination of OUR= = kL a (C * − CL ) − qO2 X
dt
• With air off: k L a (C * − CL ) = 0 Therefore dcL = −qO X
dt 2

• Integrating above equation results: C − C0 = −qO2 X.t

• Plotting C Vs t should yield a straight line with slope =OUR= −qO2 X

• Plot a graph in “Air off” region. Slope = OUR=?

Sandip Bankar
 kLa determination in “Air-On” region

dcL
• = kL a (C * − CL ) − qO2 X
dt
dcL
• Or = −kL aCL + α where α = kL a.C * − qO X
dt 2

• Plotting dCL/dt Vs CL should yield straight line with slope =-kL.a

• Calculate dCL/dt for values 8<t<15

• Plot a graph of dCL/dt Vs CL. Slope=kL.a=?

Sandip Bankar
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