Numerical on Reactor Engineering

1. Zymomonas mobilis is used to convert glucose to ethanol in a batch fermenter under

anaerobic conditions. The yield of biomass from substrate is 0.06 g/g; Y PX is 7.7 g/g. The
maintenance coefficient is 2.2 g/(g.h); the specific rate of product formation due to
maintenance is 1.1/h. The maximum specific growth rate of Z. mobilis is approximately 0.3/h.
5 g bacteria are inoculated into 50L of medium containing 12 g/L glucose. Determine batch
culture times required to:
(a) produce 10 g biomass
(b) achieve 90% substrate conversion.
(c) produce 100 g ethanol.

2. The Zymomonas mobilis cells of Numerical 1; are used for chemostat culture in a 60 m 3
fermenter. The feed contains 12 g/L glucose; Ks for the organism is 0.2 g/L.
(a) What flow rate is required for a steady-state substrate concentration of 1.5g/L?
(b) At the flow rate of (a), what is the cell density?
(c) At the flow rate of (a), what concentration of ethanol is produced?

3. A 5m3 fermenter is operated continuously with feed substrate concentration 20kg/m 3. The
microorganism cultivated in the reactor has the following characteristics, mmax= 0.45/h, Ks
=0.8kg/m3, Yxs =0.55kg/kg.
(a) What feed flow rate is required to achieve 90% substrate conversion?
(b) How does the biomass productivity at 90% substrate conversion compare with the
maximum possible?

4. A 1000L chemostat is operated continuously with feed flow rate of 300L/h having substrate
concentration of 10g/L. The microorganism cultivated in the reactor has following
characteristics: mmax=1/h, Yxs=0.5g/g, Ks=0.5g/L.
(a) Calculate the cell concentration and exit substrate concentration.
(b) Calculate the critical dilution rate.
(c) Also determine the flowrate at which cells are washed out.
5. Immobilized lactase is used to hydrolyze lactose in dairy waste to glucose and galactose.
Enzyme is immobilized in resin particles and packed into a 0.5m 3 column. The total
effectiveness factor for the system is close to unity; K m for the immobilized enzyme is 1.32
kg/m3, Vmax is 45kg/m3.h. The lactose concentration in the feed stream is 9.5kg/m 3; a
substrate conversion of 98% is required. The column is operated with plug flow for a total of
310days per year.
(a) At what flow rate should the reactor be operated?
(b) How many tons of glucose are produced per year?

6. An enzyme is used to convert substrate to a commercial product in a 1600L batch reactor.

Vmax for the enzyme is 0.9g/L.h; K m is 1.5g/L. Substrate concentration at the start of the
reaction is 3g/L; according to the stoichiometry of the reaction, conversion of 1g substrate
produces 1.2g product. The cost of operating the reactor including labour, maintenance,
energy and other utilities is estimated at $4800 per day. The cost of recovering the product
depends on the extent of substrate conversion and the resulting concentration of product in the
final reaction mixture. For conversions between 70% and 100%, the cost of downstream
processing can be approximated using the equation:
C=155-0.33X

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 where C is cost in $ per kg product treated and X is the percentage substrate conversion. The
market price for the product is $750/kg. Currently, the enzyme reactor is operated with 75%
substrate conversion; however, it is proposed to increase this to 90%. Estimate the effect this
will have on the economics of the process.

7. A strain of Ancylobacter bacteria capable of growing on 1,2-dichloroethane is isolated from

sediment in the river Rhine. The bacteria are to be used for onsite bioremediation of soil
contaminated with chlorinated halogens. Kinetic parameters for the organism are determined
using data obtained from chemostat culture. A 1-litre fermenter is used with a feed stream
containing 100μM of 1,2-dichloroethane. Steady-state substrate concentrations are measured
as a function of chemostat flow rate.
Flow rate (mL h-1) Substrate Concentration (µM)
10 17.4
15 25.1
20 39.8
25 46.8
30 69.4
35 80.1
40 100
a. Determine μmax and KS for this organism.
b. Determine the maximum practical operating flow rate.

8. A strain of Escherichia coli has been genetically engineered to produce human protein. A
batch culture is started by inoculating 12g cells into a 100L bubble-column fermenter
containing 10g/L glucose. The maximum specific growth rate of the culture is 0.9/h; the
biomass yield from glucose is 0.575g/g.
(a) Estimate the time required to reach stationary phase.
(b) What will be the final cell density if the fermentation is stopped after only 70% of
the substrate is consumed?

9. Nicotiana tabacum cells are cultured to high density for production of polysaccharide
gum. The reactor used is a stirred tank, containing initially 100L medium. The
maximum specific growth rate of the culture is 0.18/d and the yield of biomass from
substrate is 0.5g/g. The concentration of growth-limiting substrate in the medium is
3%w/v. The reactor is inoculated with 1.5g/L cells and operated in batch until the substrate
is virtually exhausted; medium flow is then started at a rate of 4L/day. Fed-batch operation
occurs under quasi-steady-state conditions.
(a) Estimate the batch culture time and final biomass concentration.
(b) Fed-batch operation is carried out for 40d. What is the final mass of cells in the
reactor?
(c) The fermenter is available 275days per year with a downtime between runs of 24h.
How much plant cell biomass is produced annually?

10. Lactobacillus casei is propagated under essentially anaerobic conditions to provide a starter
culture for manufacture of Swiss cheese. The culture produces lactic acid as a by-product of
energy metabolism. The system has the following characteristics:
Yxs = 0.23 kg/kg
Ks = 0.15 kg/m3
mmax = 0.35/ h
ms = 0.135 kg/kg.h

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A stirred fermenter is operated in fed-batch mode at quasi steady state with a feed
flow rate of 4m3/h and feed substrate concentration of 80kg/m 3. After 6h, the liquid
volume is 40m3.
(a) What was the initial culture volume?
(b) What is the concentration of substrate at quasi-steady state?
(c) What is the concentration of cells at quasi-steady state?
(d) What mass of cells is produced after 6 h fed-batch operation?