CHP 2:
MATERIAL BALANCE
BIOPROCESS TECHNOLOGY
BSB 3123
Mass in biological systems is
conserved at all times. In
steady-state material
balance:
In = Out
CONTENTS
2.1 Thermodynamic preliminaries
2.2 Law of conservation of mass
2.3 Simplification of the general mass balance equation
2.4 Procedure for setting out mass balance calculation
Thermodynamic Preliminaries
Fundamental branch of science dealing with the
properties of matter
Thermodynamic principles are useful in setting up
material balances
Thermodynamics consist :
System and Process
Steady-state and Equilibrium
Surroundings
System
sur
System boundary
Figure 2.1 Thermodynamic system
System and Process
System - consists of any matter identified for
investigation
System is set apart from surroundings, by a
system boundary
System boundary – real and tangible : walls
- imaginary
Closed system : mass cannot pass from system
to surroundings, vice versa
Open system : able exchange mass with surrounding
Process – causes changes in the system and
surroundings
Terms to describe process:
- Operates in closed system.
- All materials are added to the
Batch system at the start of the
Process process
- Products removed when the
process is complete
-Allows either input OR
Semi-batch output of mass, but not
both
-Allows input of material
Fed-batch to the system, but not
output
- Allows matter to flow in
Continuous
and out of the system
Steady state and Equilibrium
Properties of a system :
temperature, pressure, concentration, volume,
mass, etc.
Law of Conservation of Mass
…for any system closed to all transfers of
matter and energy, the mass of the system
must remain constant over time, as system’s
mass cannot change, so quantity can neither
be added nor be removed…
Law of Conservation of Mass
Mass in Mass out
System
General mass balance equation:
Mass Mass Mass Mass Mass
in out generated consumed accumulated
Example 2.1 General mass balance equation
A continuous process is set up for treatment of wastewater.
Each day, 105 kg cellulose and 103 kg bacteria enter in the
feed stream, while 104 kg cellulose and 1.5x104 kg bacteria
leave in the effluent. The rate of cellulose digestion by the
bacteria is 7x104 kg/d. The rate of bacterial growth is
2x104 kg/d, the rate of cell death by lysis is 5x102 kg/d.
Write balances for cellulose and bacteria in the system.
Solution:
Mass in – mass out + mass generated – mass consumed
= mass accumulated
- Cellulose is not generated by the process, only consumed
- Using a basis of 1 day
The cellulose balance:
(105 – 104 + 0 – 7 x 104) = accumulation
Therefore, 2 x 104 kg cellulose accumulates in the system each day
The bacteria balance :
(103 – 1.5 x 104 + 2 x 104 – 5 x 102) = accumulation
Therefore, 5.5 x 103 kg bacterial cells accumulate in the
system each day
Simplification of the general mass balance
equation
Mass in – mass out + mass generated – mass consumed
= mass accumulated
- If continuous process is at steady state, the accumulation
term on the right hand side must be zero
- Therefore, the general steady state mass balance equation:
mass in + mass generated = mass out + mass consumed
mass in = mass out
1) Draw a clear process flow diagram showing all relevant information
2) Select a set of units and state it clearly
3) Select a basis for the calculation and state it clearly
4) State all assumptions applied to the problem
5) Identify which components of the system, if any are involved in
reaction
Procedure for material balance calculations
Example 2.2 Setting up a flow sheet
Humid air enriched with oxygen is prepared for a gluconic acid
fermentation. The air is prepared in a special humidifying
chamber. 1.5 L/h liquid water enters the chamber at the same
time as dry air and 15 gmol/min dry oxygen gas. All the water
is evaporated. The outflowing gas is found to contain 1%(w/w)
water. Draw and label the flow sheet for this process.
Solution:
- Choose units of g and min for this process
- The density of water is taken to be 103 g/L
- Molecular weight of O2 is 32
1.5 L æ 10 3 g ö 1h
1.5 L / h = çç ÷÷ = 25 g / min
h è 1L ø 60 min
15 gmol 32 g
15 gmol / min = = 480 g / min
min 1gmol
Humid air
H g/min
1% mass H2O
Liquid water
25 g/min
Humidifier
Pure oxygen Dry air
480 g/min D g/min
Procedure for setting out mass balance calculation
1. Assemble
2. Analyze
3. Calculate
4. Finalize
Example 2.3 Continuous filtration
A fermentation slurry containing Streptomyces kanamyceticus
cells is filtered using a continuous rotary vacuum filter. 120
kg/h slurry is fed to the filter; 1 kg slurry contains 60 g cells
solids. To improve filtration rates, particles of diatomaceous
earth filter aid are added at a rate of 10 kg/h. The
concentration of kanamycin in the slurry is 0.05% by weight.
Liquid filtrate is collected at a rate of 112 kg/h; the
concentration of kanamycin in the filtrate is 0.045%(w/w).
Filter cake containing cells and filter aid is continuously
removed from the filter cloth.
(a) What percentage liquid is in the filter cake?
(b) How much kanamycin is absorbed per kg filter aid?
Solution:
1. Assemble : Draw the flowchart showing all data with units
120 kg/h
6% cells
0.05% kanamycin
Fermentation slurry
Filter cake
Filter
Filter aid
10 kg/h
Filtrate
112 kg/h
0.045% kanamycin
2. Analyze :
i) state any assumption
- Process is operating in steady state
- System does not leak
- Filtrate contains no solid
- Cell do not absorb or release kanamycin during filtration
- Filter aid is dry
- The liquid phase of the slurry, excluding kanamycin, can be considered
water
ii) select and state a basis
- The calculation is based on 120 kg slurry entering the filter, or 1 hour
iii) Write down an appropriate general mass balance equation
-Since the system is in steady state
mass in = mass out
3. Calculate :
i) Set up mass balance table
Table 2.1 Mass balance (kg)
Stream In Out
Cells Kanamycin Filter Water Total Cells Kanamycin Filter Water Total
aid aid
Fermentation 7.2 0.06 0 ? 120 - - - - -
slurry
Filter aid 0 0 10 0 10 - - - - -
Filtrate - - - - - 0 0.05 0 ? 112
Filter cake - - - - - ? ? ? ? ?
Total ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Stream In Out
Cells Kanamycin Filter Water Total Cells Kanamycin Filter Water Total
aid aid
Fermentation 7.2 0.06 0 112.74 120 - - - - -
slurry
Filter aid 0 0 10 0 10 - - - - -
Filtrate - - - - - 0 0.05 0 111.95 112
Filter cake - - - - - 7.2 0.01 10 0.79 18
Total 7.2 0.06 10 112.74 130 7.2 0.06 10 112.74 130
Total mass balance:
130 kg total mass in = total mass out
~ Total mass out = 130 kg
Cell balance:
7.2 kg cells in = cells out
~ Cells out = 7.2 kg
Kanamycin balance:
0.06 kg kanamycin in = kanamycin out
~ Kanamycin out = 0.06 kg
Filter aid balance:
10 kg filter aid in = filter aid out
~ Filter aid out = 10 kg
Water balance:
112.74 kg water in = water out
~ Water out = 112.74 kg
4. Finalize : answer the specific questions asked in the problem
a) What percentage liquid is in the filter cake?
Dividing the mass of water in the filter cake by the total mass of
this stream, the percentage liquid is:
0.79kg
´100 = 4.39%
18kg
b) How much kanamycin in the filter cake liquid is absorbed
per kg filter aid?
Dividing the mass of kanamycin in the filter cake by the filter
aid present, therefore the kanamycin absorbed per kg filter
aid is:
0.01kg
= 0.001kg / kg
10kg
Example 2.4 Batch mixing
Corn steep liquor contains 2.5% invert sugars and 50% water;
the rest can be considered solids. Beet molasses containing 50%
sucrose, 1% invert sugars, 18% water and the remainder solids,
is mixed with corn steep liquor in a mixing tank. Water is added
to produce a diluted sugar mixture containing 2%(w/w) invert
sugars. 125 kg corn steep liquor and 45 kg molasses are fed
into the tank.
a) How much water is required?
b) What is the concentration of sucrose in the final mixture
125 kg
2.5% invert sugars 1
50% water
47.5% solids
Corn steep liquor
Product mixture
Mixing tank
P kg
2% invert sugars
Molasses
45 kg
1% invert sugars
18% water
31% solids
50% sucrose
Water
W kg
i) Assumption: 2
- no leaks
- no inversion of sucrose to reducing sugar
ii) Basis
- 125 kg corn steep liquor
iii) Mass balance equation
mass in = mass out
3
Stream In Out
Invert Sucrose Solids Water Total Invert Sucrose Solids Water Total
sugars sugars
Corn 3.13 0 59.38 62.5 125 - - - - -
steep
liquor
Molasses 0.45 22.5 13.95 8.1 45 - - - - -
Water 0 0 0 W W - - - - -
Product - - - - - 0.02 P ? ? ? P
mixture
Total 3.58 22.5 73.33 70.6 170 0.02 P ? ? ? P
+ +
W W
Mass balance calculation:
Total mass balance
(170+W) kg total mass in = P kg total mass out
~ 170 + W = P (1)
Invert sugars balance
3.58 kg invert sugars in = (0.02 P) kg invert sugars out
~ 3.58 = 0.02 P
P = 179 kg
Using this result in (1)
W = 179 – 170 = 9 (2)
Sucrose balance
22.5 kg sucrose in = sucrose out
~ sucrose out = 22.5 kg
Solids balance
73.33 kg solids in = solids out
~ solids out = 73.33 kg
Water balance
(70.6 +W) kg in = water out
Using the result from (2):
(70.6 + 9) kg in = water out
~ water out = 79.6 kg
Stream In Out
Invert Sucrose Solids Water Total Invert Sucrose Solids Water Total
sugars sugars
Corn 3.13 0 59.38 62.5 125 - - - - -
steep
liquor
Molasses 0.45 22.5 13.95 8.1 45 - - - - -
Water 0 0 0 9.0 9.0 - - - - -
Product - - - - - 3.58 22.49 73.33 79.6 179
mixture
Total 3.58 22.5 73.33 79.6 179 3.58 22.49 73.33 79.6 179
4
a) How much water is required?
The water required is 9.0 kg
b) What is the concentration of sucrose in the final mixture
22.49
´100 = 12.6%
179
