Material Balances

Lecture 1
Biochemical Engineering
Review of
Thermodynamics
System any matter
identified for
investigation
Surroundings the
remainder of the
universe
Boundary separates
system from
surroundings
May be real and tangible
or virtual and nominal
Types of System
 Process causes changes in the system or
surroundings

Batch process operates in a closed system

Semi-batch process allows either input or
output of mass
Fed-batch process allows input of material to
the system but not output
Continuous processs allows matter to flow in
and out of the system
Equilibrium vs Steady-state
Steady-state
Describes a process in which the properties of the
system (T, p, V, ) doesnt vary with time

Equilibrium
Describes a system in which all opposing forces
are counter-balanced, leading to insignificant
changes in the properties of the system
Law of Conservation of Mass

Given component A, what if Mass in Mass out?

Something is wrong with the measurements
The system has a leak
Component A is consumed/generated within the
system
Component A accumulates in the system
 General Mass Balance
For component A

Mass Mass Mass

Mass in Mass out generated consumed accumulated
Sample Problem
A continuous process is set up for treatment of
waste water. Each day, 105 kg cellulose and 103 kg
bacteria enter the feed stream, while 104 kg
cellulose and 1.5 x 104 kg bacteria leave the
effluent. The rate of cellulose digestion by the
bacteria is 7 x 104 kg/day. The rate of bacterial
growth is 2 x 104 kg/day; the rate of bacterial lysis
is 5 x 102 kg/day. Write balances for cellulose and
bacteria in the system
Types of Material Balance
Differential Balance
Used for continuous processes
Based on flow rates

Integral Balance
Used for batch, semi-batch and fed-batch
Based on the quantity or mass, usualy over a
specified time period
Simplified General Mass Balance: the
Steady-state
At steady-state, does mass in = mass out?
Material With reaction Without reaction
Total mass Yes Yes
Total moles No Yes
Mass of a molecular specie No Yes
Moles of a molecular specie No Yes
Mass of an atomic specie Yes Yes
Moles of an atomic specie Yes Yes

+ = +
Procedure for material balance
calculation
1. Draw a clear process flow diagram

2. Select a set of units and state it clearly

3. Select a basis for calculation and state it clearly

4. State all assumptions applied to the problem

5. Identify which components of the system are

involved in reaction
A fermentation slurry containing Streptomyces kanamyceticus
1. Draw a clear
cells is filtered using a continuous rotary vacuum filter. Slurry is process flow
fed to the filter at the rate of 120 kg/h; 1 kg slurry contains 60 g diagram

cell solids. To improve filtration rates, particles of diatomaceous 2. Select a set of

units and state it
aerth filter aid are added at a rate of 10 kg/h. the concentration clearly
of kanamycin in the slurry is 0.05% by weight. Liquid filtrate is
3. Select a basis for
collected at a rate of 112 kg/h; the concentration of the calculation and
state it clearly
kanamycin in the filtrate is 0.045% (w/w). Filter cake
containing cells and filter aid is removed continuously from the 4. State all
assumptions
filter cloth. applied to the
problem
(a) What percentage water is in the filter cake?
5. Identify which
(b) If the concentration of kanamycin dissolved in the liquid components of
the system are
within the filter cake is the same as that in the filtrate, how involved in
reaction
much kanamycin is absorbed per kg filter aid?
Xanthan gum is produced using Xanthomonas
campestris in batch culture. Laboratory experiments 1. Draw a clear
have shown that for each gram of glucoses utilized by process flow
the bacteria 0.23 g of oxygen and 0.01 g ammonia are diagram
consumed, while 0.75 g gum, 0.09 g cells, and 0.27 g
2. Select a set of
gaseous CO2 and 0.13 g H2O are formed. Other units and state
components of the system such as phosphate can be it clearly
neglected. Medium containing glucose and ammonia
3. Select a basis
dissolved in 20,000 L water is pumped into a stirred for calculation
fermenter and innoculated with X. campestris. Air is and state it
sparged into the fermenter; the total amount of off- clearly
gas recovered during the entire batch culture is 1250
4. State all
kg. because xanthan gum solutions have high viscosity assumptions
and are difficult to handle, the final gum applied to the
problem
concentration should not be allowed to exceed 3.5%
wt. 5. Identify which
(a) How much glucose and ammonia are required? components of
the system are
(b) What percentage air is provided? involved in
reaction