Question paper code: 21316

B.E/B.Tech DEGREE EXAMINATION, DECEMBER 2015

SEVENTH SEMESTER
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
CH 2403 - Biochemical Engineering
(REGULATION 2008/2010)
TIME: THREE HOURS MAXIMUM: 100 MARKS
ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS
PART-A – (10X2=20 MARKS)
1. List the substances that compose the cell wall.
2. Classify fungi, with a note on economic importance of fungi.
3. Explain any one use of enzyme in the food and textile industry.
4. The enzyme fumarase has the following kinetic constants.
S+E↔ES→P+E K1=108s-1, K1=4x104 s-1 K2 =108 s-1
What is the value of the Michael’s constant for this scheme?
5. Explain a structured model and an unsegregated model with suitable examples.
6. What is meant by endogenous metabolism, how does it affect Monod’s model?
7. List the resistances involved in transfer of oxygen from the gas bubble to cell.
8. What are antifoams? How antifoams affect oxygen mass transfer?
9. In which cases, airlift bioreactors are preferred over bubble column reactors?
10. Calculate the flow rate of 10g/L growth- limiting substrate required to achieve maximum
cell productivity in a 100 liter chernostat with Torula utilis (µm =0.7 hr-1, Ks=1g/l)

PART-B
11. a) i) What is the difference between Prokaryote cell and Eukaryote cell?
ii) What are the major classes of microorganisms? Cite the difference among these classes.
Or
b) i) Microbial fermentation processes can be classified according to the type of the
fermentation product. Give one example for each types of fermentation and compare them in
terms of metabolism, kinetics and product recovery.
ii. List the advantages and disadvantages of simple and complex media for microbial growth.

12) a) i) Write a detailed account on the classification and nomenclature of enzymes by enzyme
commission.
ii) The reaction data (moles/ liter. min) for asparaginase in presence of an inhibitor (I) is given
Substrate 0.2 M 0.02 M
concentration I/V I(M) 1/V I(M)
0.22 0 0.68 0
0.33 0.0012 1.02 0.0012
0.88 0.0060 3.46 0.0060
i) Determine the type of inhibition ii) Calculate the K1
Or
b) Describe the different mechanism for enzyme immobilization with suitable examples. List its
advantages and disadvantages.

13) a) i) Lactate is produced in a growth associated manner and yield coefficient of lactate
formation Yp/s= 0.8 g/l. The feed contains 1 g/l of glucose. The culture is growing in a 5 litre
chernostat being a fed at 2.75 liter/hr. Calculate 1) Dilution rate 2) Residence time 3) Biomass
concentration 4) Product concentration.
ii) Aerobic degradation of benzoic acid by a mixed culture of microorganisms can be represented
by the following reaction.
C6H5COOH+ aO2+ bNH3→cC5H7NO2+dH2O+eCO2
i) Determine the yield coefficients Y x/s and Y x/ O2 (ii) Determine degree of reduction for the
substrate and bacteria.
Or
b) i) A simple batch fermentation of a n aerobic bacterium growing on methanol gave the results
shown in the table. Calculate 1) Maximum growth rate 2) Yield on substrate (Y x/s) 3) Mass
doubling time 4) Saturation constant 5) Specific growth rate at t=14h.
Time (h) 0 2 4 8 10 12 14 16 18
X(g/I) 0.2 0.211 0.31 0.98 1.77 3.2 5.6 6.15 6.2
S(g/I) 9.2 9.21 9.07 8.03 6.8 4.6 0.92 0.077 0
ii) Define Decimal reduction time. What is its significance?

14) a) i) Outline the various heat transfer configurations for bioreactors used to improve the heat
transfer rate?
ii) Results from a static gassing out method is given,
Time (min) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
%00 0 21 43 60 74 85 90
Calculate volumetric mass transfer coefficient for the reactor.
Or
b) A fermenter used for antibiotic production must be kept at 27 °C. After considering the
oxygen demand of the organism and the heat dissipation from the stirrer, the maximum heat
transfer rate required is estimated as 600 Kw. Cooling water is available at 10 °C; the exit
temperature of the cooling water is calculated as 25°C. The heat transfer coefficient for the
fermentation broth and cooling water are 2050 and 14000 Wm-2°C-1. It is proposed to install a
helical cooling coil inside the fermenter, the outer diameter of the coil pipe is 8 cm, the pipe
thickness is 5 mm and the thermal conductivity of the steel is 65 Wm -2 ° C-1. An average internal
fouling factor of 800 Wm-2 ° C-1 is expected; the fermenter side surface of the coil is kept
relatively clean. What length of cooling coil is required?

15) a) i) When using a Ruston turbine for mixing an ungassed Newtonian fluid, if you were to
increase the impeller rotational speed by 2, by how much would the power requirements
increase? Explain when gas is sparged into the fermentation broth do the power requirements
increase or decrease? Why?
ii) Medium at a flow rate of 2 m3 h-1 is to be sterilized by heat exchange with steam in a
continuous sterilizer. The liquid contains bacterial spores at a concentration of 6 X 10 12 m-3; the
activation energy and Arrhenius constant for thermal destruction of these contaminants are 283
kJ gmol-1 and 5.7 X10.39 h-1, respectively. A contamination risk of one organism surviving every
60 days operation is considered acceptable. The sterilizer pipe has as inner diameter of 0.1m; the
length of the holding section is 24m. The density of the medium is 1000 kgm-3 and the viscosity
is 3.6 kgm-1 h-1. What sterilizing temperature is required?
Or
b) i) What are the main parameters to be monitored in the fermenter? What are the problems do
they cause if it is not controlled?
ii) A stirred tank reactor is to be scaled down from 10 m3 to 0.1 m3. The dimensions of the large
tank are Dt= 2m; Dim = 0.5m; N=100 rpm; H=3Dt
i) Determine the dimensions of the mall tank (Dt, Dim, H) by using geometric similarity.
ii) What would be the required rotational speed of the impeller in the tank if the following
criteria were used? a) Constant tip speed b) constant impeller Re number?
 Question paper code: 71316
B.E/B.Tech DEGREE EXAMINATION, May 2015
SEVENTH SEMESTER
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
CH 2403 - Biochemical Engineering
(REGULATION 2008/2010)
TIME: THREE HOURS MAXIMUM: 100 MARKS
ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS
PART-A – (10X2=20 MARKS)
1. Define heterogeneous population.
2. What is cell fractionation?
3. Explain competitive inhibition.
4. Define units of enzyme activity.
5. Explain a structured model and an unsegregated model with suitable examples.
6. Define yield coefficient.
7. Define scaling.
8. Define sterilization.
9. What is Residence Time Distribution?
10. Define micro mixing.
PART-B
11) a) i) Explain briefly about the classification of microbial strains.
ii) Compare chemical process over Biochemical process
Or
b) i) Explain in detail about the structure of cells.
ii) Briefly discuss about cellular genetics.

12) a) i) Derive the expressions of Michaelis - Menten kinetics.

ii) Explain briefly about factors affecting cell growth.
Or
b) i) using a neat flow sheet explain in detail about the high fructose corn syrup production using
immobilized glucose isomerase.
ii) Write about cell immobilization and its methods.

13) a) i) Explain in detail about typical growth curve for batch cultivation.
ii) Write about Monod’s Growth Kinetics.
Or
b) i) Briefly explain about modeling of batch and continuous cell growth.
ii) Discuss about free cell reactors.
14) a) i) Explain briefly about gas liquid contacting modes.
ii) Explain in detail about enhancement of oxygen transfer.
Or
b) i) Explain in detail about heat transfer correlations.
ii) Explain briefly sterilization cycle

15) a) i) write brief notes on immobilized whole cell and enzyme reactors.
ii) Discuss about sterile and non-sterile operations.
Or
b) i) Briefly explain the design of ideal plug flow tubular reactor.
ii) Explain in detail about reactors in series with recycle.
 Question paper code: 91303
B.E/B.Tech DEGREE EXAMINATION, NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2014
SEVENTH SEMESTER
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
CH 2403 - Biochemical Engineering
(REGULATION 2008/2010)
TIME: THREE HOURS MAXIMUM: 100 MARKS
ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS
PART-A – (10X2=20 MARKS)
1) Give three basic morphological forms of bacteria.
2) What are lipids?
3) How are enzymes classified? Give examples.
4) Compare the role of enzymes and cells in the manufacture of a biochemical product.
5) Define ‘yield factor’ and ‘yield coefficient’
6) What do you mean by doubling time?
7) Define power number.
8) State the factors affecting the value of KLa.
9) State the purpose of recycling in a bioreactor.
10) What do you mean by scaling up of bioreactor?
PART-B
11) a) i) State briefly how the microbes are classified.
ii) With the help of a neat sketch describe the different parts of a eukaryotic cell. State the
functions of different parts.
Or
b) Differentiate between a chemical and a biochemical reaction with example and elaborate their
relative characteristics.
12) a) Derive Michaelis – Menten equation for a single substrate enzymatic biochemical reaction
stating all the assumptions. How are the parameters in the above equation evaluated? Explain
with neat sketches.
Or
b) i) What are the factors that affect the enzymatic reaction? Explain in detail.
ii) How do you classify enzymes? Discuss in detail.

13) a) Briefly explain about modeling of batch and continuous cell growth.
Or
b) Explain the different enzyme immobilization techniques that are practiced in research and
industry.

14) a) Discuss in detail about: i) agitation and mixing ii) sterilization cycle.
Or
b) i) Explain in detail about role of mass transfer coefficient in scale up of reactor.
ii) Discuss about the gas and liquid transport in cells.

15) a) i) Compare and contrast between batch and continuous reactor with respect to bioprocess.
ii) Write short notes on immobilized enzyme reactors.
Or
b) Discuss in detail about high performance bioreactors.
 Question paper code: 51301
B.E/B.Tech DEGREE EXAMINATION MAY 2014
SEVENTH SEMESTER
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
CH 2403 - Biochemical Engineering
(REGULATION 2008/2010)
TIME: THREE HOURS MAXIMUM: 100 MARKS
ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS
PART-A – (10X2=20 MARKS)
1) Compare the role of enzymes and cells in the manufacture of a biochemical product.
2) Why has the study of microorganisms become important suddenly?
3) List out some of the enzymes used in medicinal industry.
4) State the advantages of immobilization.
5) What are the methods available for immobilization of whole cells?
6) Draw the typical growth curve for batch cell cultivation.
7) What is meant by volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient?
8) Define power number.
9) What are the different methods of sterilization?
10) Compare between batch and continuous bioreactors.
PART-B
11) a) Differentiate between a chemical and biochemical reaction with suitable examples and
explain their relative characteristics.
Or
b) Classify the industrially important microbes, with an example, explain any one microbial
synthesis of product.
12) a) Derive the Michaelis- Menten equation and explain the various methods of estimation
of Michaelis- Menten constants with neat sketches.
Or
b) State and explain the factors that affect enzymatic reactions rates.
13) a) Briefly explain the modeling of batch and continuous cell growth process.
Or
b) Compare and contrast between free cell and immobilized cell reactors with an example.
14) a) i) Discuss the purpose of aeration and agitation in fermenters.
ii) Discuss the mass transfer theories applied to oxygen transfer.
Or
b) Give a brief account on
i) Sterilization cycle
ii) Newtonian and non-Newtonian behavior of broths.
15) a) Describe the characteristics features of a bioreactor, which are needed to be considered
while designing a bioreactor.
Or
b) i) Describe with a neat sketch, a high performance bioreactor for an asceptic process.
ii) Discuss in detail, the various problems associated with the scale up of bioreactors.
 Question paper code: 31261
B.E/B.Tech DEGREE EXAMINATION, NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2013
SEVENTH SEMESTER
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
CH 2403 - Biochemical Engineering
(REGULATION 2008/2010)
TIME: THREE HOURS MAXIMUM: 100 MARKS
ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS
PART-A – (10X2=20 MARKS)
1) Microorganisms are broadly classified into ------------------- and -----------------------
2) How do bacteria reproduce?
3) What is an enzyme?
4) Write down the Michaelis- Menten equation.
5) What are the various phases of growth kinetics?
6) Define immobilization.
7) What is called as a Newtonian flow?
8) What is the unit of mass transfer coefficient?
9) Write down the performance equation of continuous reactor.
10) Define a pilot scale.
PART-B
11) a) Discuss in detail about the chemical engineering processes and biochemical
engineering processes.
Or
b) Explain various types of microorganisms and its structure with a neat sketch.

12) a) Discuss in detail about the factors influencing enzyme activity.

Or
b) Derive the Michaelis- Menten equation and explain the methods of evaluation of
parameters in the equation.
13) a) Explain the growth kinetics of the microbial cells.
Or
b) Explain the Monod model for the cell growth.
14) a) Explain the mass transfer coefficient and its role in scale up.
Or
b) Describe the determination of O2 absorption rates in bioreactors.
15) a) Explain the reactors in series with recycle.
Or
b) Explain the design considerations of reactors and scale up with an example.