EP322: Assignment SP1

Introduction

Citric acid is produced via fermentation using Aspergillus niger. The plant is considered to produce around
1,000 metric tons of citric acid per year. Glucose is used as a carbon source for this fermentation, and it is
diluted with water from about 30% to 50%. Nutrients (i.e., sources of ammonium, potassium, phosphorus,
magnesium, copper, and zinc) are dissolved in water and heat sterilized.
Nutrient Stream
Components Concentration, g/L
Ammonium Sulfate 150.00
Nutrients 200.00
Water 715.20

After sterilization, both the carbon source and the nutrients are transferred into the fermentation vessel.
Fermentation is then carried out according to the following mass stoichiometry:

2 (Ammonium Sulfate) + 150 (Glucose) + 12 (Nutrients) + 56 (Oxygen) ➔

5 (Biomass) + 25 (Carbon Dioxide) + 180 (Citric Acid) + 10 (Water)

The extent of the fermentation reaction is set to 99% and the fermentation is carried out for a period of 3.5
̊ . Air is supplied at a rate of 0.15 VVM (volume of air per volume of liquid per
days at a temperature of 35 C
minute). Cooling water removes the heat produced by the exothermic process and maintains a constant
temperature. To meet the production demand, fermentation is carried out by five fermenters that operate in
staggered mode (out of phase); STG01, STG02, STG03, STG04 and STG05. Each fermenter has a vessel
volume of 350 m3 and generates broth of around 300 to 315 m3. Once fermentation is completed, the broth
is discharged into the holding tank, which acts as a buffer tank between the fermenter and a rotary vacuum
filtration. The pre-separation starts with the removal of biomass with spec of 12 vol/vol cake and 0.3 to 0.4
cake porosity at rotary vacuum filter and then the product (Citric Acid mixtures) is sent to downstream
section.

Marking Scheme

1. Develop PFD in Superpro designer including stream table and gantt chart
(10 marks)
2. Methodology to design each unit operations
(10 marks)

Duration (1 week)
Start: 24 July 2021;
Due: 30 July 2021 (-20% per day for late submission)
Submit: https://forms.gle/w1L6WyL2mZAWai9y9
Appendix 1

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