1

ASSIGNMENT 1
1. Discuss the parameters affecting growth kinetics.
2. Describe batch growth kinetics. With a net sketch, explain the phases of growth.
3. Define maximum specific growth rate. How can you determine its value by experiment?
4. Derive the batch culture times for biomass formation and substrate conversion
depending the importance of maintenance metabolism.
5. Explain any five factors affecting growth kinetics of microorganisms.
6. Write a note on the following.
1. Yield and Maintenance coefficient
2. Growth ,non growth and mixed growth associated products
7. Derive the performance equation of CSTR for a reaction catalysed by an enzyme which
has reversible Michaelis-Menton kinetics.
8. What are the advantages of continuous bioreactors over batch bioreactors?
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ASSIGNMENT 2
9. What happens when the dilution rate exceeds the maximum specific growth rate of the
cells in a chemostat?
10. Define maintenance energy of microbial cells. Derive the expression for maintenance
coefficient of biomass.
11. Derive the general dynamic equations that govern the cell and limiting substrate
concentrations when the bioreactor is operated in continuous mode. What do you
understand by critical dilution rate? Discuss the rate output of biomass in chemostat
culture.
12. Show that the ratio of specific growth rate and dilution rate are related to recycle ratio in
a single bioreactor.
13. Write notes on modelling of bioreactor, specific growth rate and observed yield, Bubble
column reactor.
14. Example 3.5 (Shular and Kargi)
15. A continuous stirred tank fermentor for continuous microbial cultures is operated at
various dilution rates. The fresh feed concentration is 500 mg/lit. After having reached a
steady state, the concentrations for biomass and the substrates at various dilution rates
were measured and the values are mentioned in table

Dilution rate Substrate concentration, Biomass concentration,

D=F/R, S, X,
Per hr (mg per liter) (mg per liter)
0.30 45 325
0.25 40 328
0.20 15 341
0.15 8.0 343
0.06 3.5 345
Using this information estimate the following:
i) Monod’s constant
ii) Yield coefficient,
iii) Endogenous respiration coefficient.
16. Describe continuous culture of microorganisms, cell productivity, washout and critical
dilution rate.
17. Derive the equations for N number of stirred tank fermenters in series.
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ASSIGNMENT 3
18. Explain ideal bioreactors for measurement of kinetics.
19. Derive an equation for cell mass balance, substrate balance and Dopt for CSTF. Where
Dopt t is the value of dilution when cell productivity is maximum.
20. A continuous fermenter is said to have an operating volume of 20 liters. It is given a feed
which is sterile or free of contaminants and containing a limiting substrate at 1000mg per
litre and a feed rate of 5 litre per hour to the vessel. Assuming, Monod’s growth kinetics
is applicable, calculate the steady state substance and biomass concentration taking
thevalues of Ks as 10 mg/litre and µmax as 0.4 per hour and yield coefficient as 0.45.
21. The following Data are obtained in oxidation of pesticides present in wastewater by a
mixed culture of microorganisms in a continuously operating aeration tank

D (h-1) S(Pesticides) ,mg/lit X,mg/lit

0.05 15 162
0.11 25 210
0.24 50 250
0.39 100 235
0.52 140 220
0.7 180 205
0.82 240 170

Assuming the pesticide concentration in the feed wastewater stream as So= 500mg/lit,
𝑀
calculate µm, Ks, 𝑌𝑋/𝑆 , kd.
22. Derive an expression to find the concentration of substrate at steady state in CSTF with
recycle of biomass using a settler –thickener.
23. A new strain of yeast is being considered for biomass production. The following data
were obtained using a chemostat. An influent substrate concentration of 800mg/L and
an excess of oxygen were used at a pH of 5.5 and T=35oC. Using the following data,
 𝑆
𝑀
calculate µm, Ks, 𝑌𝑋/𝑆 , kd, ms, assuming 𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝐾 𝑚+𝑆 − 𝑘𝑑 .
𝑆

Dilution Rate(hr-1) 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7

Carbon Conc. (mg/l) 16.7 33.5 59.4 101 169 298 702
Cell Conc. (mg/l) 366 407 408 404 371 299 59