Appendix A

Material Balance

Milling

Banana peels is ground at an optimum particle size of 2 mm. Approximately 99% of the feed is

recovered.

1688.1466 kg/hr 1671.2651 kg/hr

Banana Peels Banana Powder

16.8815 kg/hr lost

Milled banana peels

Solid State Fermentation Process

Aspergillus niger = 4.0578 kg/hr

According to the chemical composition of ripe banana peels, approximately 6.7% of the total

weight is moisture (water).

Dry matter in grounded banana peels = (1671.2651 kg/hr)(1 – 6.7/100) = 1559.2903 kg/hr

Nutrients:

Peptone = (0.05012 kg/kg dry matter)(1559.2903 kg/hr) = 78.1516 kg/hr

KH2PO4 = (0.03081 kg/kg dry matter)(1559.2903 kg/hr) = 48.0417 kg/hr

NH4)3PO4 = (0.04232 kg/kg dry matter)(1559.2903 kg/hr) = 65.9892 kg/hr

Solid State Fermentation requires that the substrate (banana peels) is moistened to about 70%

moisture for efficient fermentation by the Aspergillus niger. To reach 70% moisture,

Amount of H2O added = [(1559.2903 kg/hr)/0.3] – 111.9747 kg/hr = 5085.6596 kg/hr

 Aspergillus niger + Nutrients
196.2403 kg/hr

1671.2651 kg/hr 6953.165 kg/hr

Banana Powder Fermentation Broth
(111.9747 kg H2O) + Solids

H2O
5085.6596 kg/hr

According to the chemical composition of banana peels, approximately 21.98% of the total

weight are Fermentable sugars and 91% of the fermentable sugars are converted to citric acid.

Therefore, the amount of citric acid in the fermentation broth is approximately 334.2831 kg.

Amount of Citric Acid = (1671.2651 kg/hr)(0.2198)(0.91) = 334.2831 kg/hr

Rotary Vacuum Filter

After Solid State Fermentation, the mycelium mat and other suspended solids which include the

ground banana peels and nutrients are separated using the rotary vacuum filter.

Assume RVF efficiency of 99%.

Amount of H2O lost = (111.9747 + 5085.6956)(0.01) = 51.9763 kg/hr

6953.165 kg/hr 6644.95 kg/hr

Fermentation Broth Fermentation Broth

+ Solids

308.215 kg/hr
Mycelium Mat +
Suspended Solids + H2O
Evaporation

The fermentation broth from the rotary vacuum filter will be concentrated to the saturation point

of citric acid which is 50 kg citric acid/50 kg water. The amount of water and citric acid in the

product stream will therefore be equal at 334.2831 kg/hr.

Amount of H2O evaporated = 6644.95 kg/hr – (334.2831 kg/hr)(2) = 5976.3838 kg/hr

H2O
5976.3838 kg/hr

6644.95 kg/hr 668.5662 kg/hr

Fermentation Broth Concentrated

Fermentation
Broth

Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) Chromatography

The concentration of citric acid in the solution is maintained at its saturation point as well. The

concentrated fermentation broth will undergo purification through an SMB unit where it is

stripped of other impurities such as unreacted sugars, chiral compounds, organic molecules,

nucleic acids and proteins using hot water at T = 80 ̊C as eluent. The flow rate of feed and eluent

in an SMB unit must be equal.

Assume product recovery of 99%.

Amount of CA + H2O solution = (668.5662 kg/hr)(0.99) = 661.8806 kg/hr

 H2O
668.5662 kg/hr

668.5662 kg/hr 661.8806 kg/hr

Concentrated CA + H2O
Fermentation solution
Broth

Other impurities
675.2518 kg/hr

Ion Exchange Resin

The CA + H2O solution is further purified from ionic impurities through ion exchange.
Assume product recovery of 99%.
Amount of citric acid in product stream = (661.8806 kg/hr)(0.99)(0.5) = 327.6309 kg/hr

661.8806 kg/hr 655.2618 kg/hr

CA + H2O purified
solution CA + H2O
solution

Feed loss
6.6188 kg/hr
Crystallization

Crystals produced will be in monohydrate form. The CA + H2O solution enters the feed at its

saturation point.

Assume no water evaporated.

Solubility of citric acid = 61.8 kg anhydrous citric acid/100 kg H2O.

Molecular weights:
C6H8O7 · H2O = 210
C6H8O7 = 192
H2O = 18
H2O Balance:
(0.5)(655.2618) = (100/161.8)(S) + (18/210)(C)
Citric Acid Balance:
(0.5)(655.2618) = (61.8/161.8)(S) + (192/210)(C)
S = 509.9548 kg/hr
C = 145.3070 kg/hr
Magma = S + C = 655.2618 kg/hr

Mother Liquor (S)

509.9548 kg/hr

655.2618 kg/hr
purified
CA + H2O
solution

Crystals (C)
145.3070 kg/hr
Centrifugation

After crystallization, the citric acid monohydrate crystals will be separated from the magma.

Assume 99% product recovery.

Amount of citric acid monohydrate crystals recovered = (145.3070 kg/hr)(0.99) = 143.8539

kg/hr

655.2618 kg/hr 143.8539 kg/hr

Magma Citric acid

monohydrate
crystals

Mother liquor + crystals lost

511.4079 kg/hr

Drying

The citric monohydrate crystals contain 8.57% moisture (water). The initial moisture content will

be reduced to 0.5% moisture which is a product specification for anhydrous citric acid.

H2O
11.6695 kg/hr

143.8539 kg/hr 132.1844 kg/hr

Citric acid Anhydrous

monohydrate Citric acid
crystals crystals
(8.57% moisture) (0.57% moisture)