Appendix A

Material Balance

The plant targets to supply 1000000 kg of anhydrous citric acid crystals in a 300-day

operation, which is approximately 10% of the annual demand of citric acid in the Philippines.

The anhydrous citric acid crystals to be produced per hour based on the 1000000 kg

maximum capacity of the plant is calculated by,

anhyd C6 H8 O7 1000000 kg anhyd C6 H8 O7 kg

= = 138.89 anhyd C6 H8 O7
hour hours hr
300 days (24 )
day

A study conducted by Kareem & Rahman (2011) stated that there is a maximum yield of

64.2 g citric acid per kilogram banana peels fed. The amount of banana peels in feed per hour is,

kg
138.8889 anhyd C6 H8 O7 𝐤𝐠
massbanana peels = hr = 𝟏𝟔𝟗𝟏. 𝟑𝟏 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬
kg anhyd C6 H8 O7 𝐡𝐫
0.08212
kg banana peels

Milling

Banana peels is ground at an optimum particle size of 2 mm (Kareem & Rahman, 2011).

1691.31 kg/hr 1691.31 kg/hr

Banana Peels Banana Powder

Solid-State Fermentation Process

Aspergillus niger will be used as microorganism for solid-state fermentation. A study

conducted by Prado et al. stated that 1x107 A. niger spores are needed per gram of dry substrate

and there are 1x1011 A. niger spores in every kg of culture. The nutritional requirements for
optimum fermentation of A. niger are 10 g ammonium nitrate, 5 g monopotassium phosphate,

and 2.5 g magnesium sulfate per kg of A. niger (Steinberg, n.d.).

1000 g 1x107 A. niger spores kg culture

1691.31 kg dry substrate ( )( )( ) = 𝟏𝟔𝟗. 𝟏𝟑 𝐤𝐠 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞
kg g dry substrate 1x1011 spores

To solve for the amount of salts to be added,

0.01 kg NH4 NO3

massNH4 NO3 = (169.13 kg A. niger) = 1.69 kg NH4 NO3
kg A. niger

0.005 kg KH2 PO4

massKH2 PO4 = (169.13 kg A. niger) = 0.85 kg KH2 PO4
kg A. niger

0.0025 kg MgSO4 ∙ 7H2 O

massMgSO4∙7H2 O = (169.13 kg A. niger) = 0.42 kg MgSO4 ∙ 7H2 O
kg A. niger

Total amount of salts and A. niger to be added = 172.09 kg

Results from a study conducted by Anhwange et al. (2009) showed that banana peels

initially contain 6.7% moisture. The moisture content of banana peels for optimum condition of

solid-state fermentation should be at 70% (Soccol et al., 2006).

Initial moisture content of banana peels = 1691.31 kg banana peels(0.067) = 113.32 kg H2 O

Dry matter in banana peels = 1691.31 kg banana peels(1 − 0.067) = 1577.99 kg H2 O

1577.99 kg banana peels

massH2 O to be added = − 113.32 = 𝟓𝟏𝟒𝟔. 𝟔𝟓 𝐤𝐠 𝐇𝟐 𝐎
0.3

Aspergillus niger + Nutrients

172.09 kg/hr

1691.31 kg/hr 7010.05 kg/hr

Banana Powder Fermentation Broth
+ Solids

H2O
5146.65 kg/hr
 Banana peels have a total reducing sugar content of 21.98% (Shaji, 2009), and 91% of the

fermentable sugars are converted to citric acid under optimum solid-state conditions (Kareem &

Rahman, 2011). Therefore, the amount of citric acid in the fermentation broth is approximately

338.29 kg.

masscitric acid = 1691.31 kg banana peels(0.2198)(0.91) = 338.29 kg citric acid

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.

7010.05 kg/hr 5146.65 kg/hr

Fermentation Broth Fermentation Broth

+ Solids

1863.40 kg/hr
Mycelium Mat +
Suspended Solids

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 (Cognetti, n.d.) through

evaporation. The amount of water and citric acid in the product stream will therefore be at

338.29 kg/hr.

50 kg H2 O
massH2 O at saturation point = 338.29 kg citric acid ( ) = 338.29 kg H2 O
50 kg citric acid

massH2 O evaporated = 5146.65 kg ferm. broth − (338.29 kg C. A. +338.29 kg H2 O)

= 𝟒𝟒𝟕𝟎. 𝟎𝟕 𝐤𝐠 𝐇𝟐 𝐎 𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝
 H2O
4470.07 kg/hr

5146.65 kg/hr 676.58 kg/hr

Fermentation Broth Concentrated

Fermentation
Broth

Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) Chromatography

The concentration of citric acid in the inlet stream 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. The eluent to be used is water at 80°C at a flowrate equal to that of

the feed. Assume 99% efficiency.

massC6H8O7+H2 O soln in product stream = (676.58 kg/hr)(0.99) = 669.81 kg/hr

H2O
676.58 kg/hr

676.58 kg/hr 669.81 kg/hr

Concentrated C6H8O + H2O

Fermentation solution
Broth

Other impurities
683.35 kg/hr
Ion Exchange Resin
The C6H8O7 + H2O solution is further purified from ionic impurities through ion

exchange. Assume 99% efficiency.

massC6H8O7 soln in product stream = (669.81 kg)(0.99) = 𝟔𝟔𝟑. 𝟏𝟏 𝐤𝐠

669.81 kg/hr 663.11 kg/hr

C6H8O7 + H2O purified

solution C6H8O7+ H2O
solution

Feed loss
6.7 kg/hr

Crystallization

Inlet stream enters at the saturation point of citric acid and water solution. Water at

saturation point is 50% of the solution. Crystals produced after crystallization is in monohydrate

form. Assume no water is evaporated.

61.8 kg anhyd citric acid

Solubility of citric acid =
100 kg H2O

Molecular weights:

C6H8O7 · H2O = 210

C6H8O7 = 192

H2O = 18
H2O Balance:

(0.5)(663.11) = (100/161.8)(S) + (18/210)(C)

Citric Acid Balance:

(0.5)(663.11) = (61.8/161.8)(S) + (192/210)(C)

S (Mother liquor) = 516.06 kg/hr

C (Crystals) = 147.05 kg/hr

Magma = S + C = 663.11 kg/hr

Mother Liquor (S)

516.06 kg/hr

663.11 kg/hr
purified
C6H8O7+ H2O
solution

C6H8O7∙ H2O Crystals (C)

147.05 kg/hr

Centrifugation

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

663.11 kg/hr 147.05 kg/hr

Magma C6H8O7∙ H2O

Crystals

Mother liquor
516.06 kg/hr
Drying

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

content in the citric acid monohydrate crystals will be reduced to 0.5% moisture which is a

product specification for anhydrous citric acid. The monohydrate form can be converted to the

anhydrous form at about 75ºC.

18
Percent moisture in C6H8O7∙ H2O Crystals = (
210
) 100 = 8.57%

Citric acid balance:

147.05 kg (1-0.0857) = x (1-0.005)

x = 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠anhyd C6H8O7 = 135.12 kg anhydrous citric acid

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠H2O in C6H8O7∙ H2O = 147.05 kg (0.0857) = 12.61 kg H2O

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠H2O in anhyd C6H8O7 = 135.12 (0.005) = 0.68 kg H2O

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠H2O removed= 12.6 – 0.68 = 11.93 kg H2O removed

H2O removed
11.93 kg/hr

147.05 kg/hr 135.12 kg/hr

Citric acid Anhydrous

monohydrate Citric acid
crystals crystals
(8.57% moisture) (0.5% moisture)