Part II Dynamic Bioprocess Simulation Examples and the Berkeley Madonna Simulation Language

Biological Reaction Engineering, Second Edition. I. J. Dunn, E. Heinzle, J. Ingham, J. E. Pfenosil Copyright 2003 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim ISBN: 3-527-30759-1

Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

8.1
8.1.1
System

Introductory Examples
Batch Fermentation (BATFERM)

The system is represented in Fig. 1, and the important variables are biological dry mass or cell concentration, X, substrate concentration, S, and product concentration, P. The reactor volume V is well-mixed, and growth is assumed to follow kinetics described by the Monod equation, based on one limiting substrate. Substrate consumption is related to cell growth by a constant yield factor YX/S- Product formation is the result of both growth and non-growth associated rates of production, where either term may be set to zero as required. The lag and decline phases of cell growth are not included in the model.

Figure 1. Stirred batch fermenter with model variables.

Biological Reaction Engineering, Second Edition. I. J. Dunn, E. Heinzle, J. Ingham, J. E. Pfenosil Copyright 2003 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim ISBN: 3-527-30759-1

194

8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

Model
Mass Balances: (Rate of accumulation) For cells = (Rate of production)

VTT = r xv
or dX

For substrate
V

dS dF

or dS dF = rS

For product
dP V-3T = or dP dF = r?

Kinetics:
rx = f i X

with the Monod relation, constant yield relation, and product formation kinetics:

tx/s
rP = (ki + k2 |^) X

where ki is the non-growth associated coefficient, and k2 is the coefficient associated with growth. If the number of equations is equal to the number of unknowns, the model is complete and the solution can be obtained. The easiest way to demonstrate this is via an information flow diagram, as shown below in Fig. 2.

8.1 Introductory Examples

x

195
X ^ M
Monod

Biomass Balance

4_
So
Substrate Balance

T*
Growth Rate

Kinetics

1
r

s
^

4_
PO
Product Balance
A 4

f'x Substrate Rate

p
r

Product Rate

-^M ,-_

Figure 2. Information flow diagram of the batch fermenter model equations,

It is seen in that all the variables required for the solution of any one equation block are obtained as the products of other blocks. The information flow diagram thus emphasizes the complex inter-relationship involved in even this very simple problem. Solution begins with the initial conditions XQ, SQ and PQ at time t=0. The specific growth rate |i is calculated, enabling rs, rx and rp to be calculated, and hence the initial gradients dX/dt, dS/dt and dP/dt. At this time the integration routine takes over to estimate revised values of X, S and P over the first integration step length. The procedure is repeated for succeeding step lengths until the entire X, S and P concentration time profiles have been calculated up to the required final time.

Program
The following Berkeley Madonna program solves the above fermentation problem:
{BATPERM}

{Batch

growth

with

product

formation}

{Constants} UM=0 . 3 KS = 0 . 1 Kl=0.03 K2=0.08 Y=0. 8

;kg/m3 ;kgP/kgX h ;kgP/kgX h ;kg X/kg S

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8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

X0=0.01 SO = 10 P0=0

/Initial ;Initial ;Initial

biomass inoculum, kg/m3 substrate cone., kg/m3 product conc.,kg/m3

{Initial Conditions} INIT X=XO INIT S=SO INIT P=PO (Mass

X'= S'= P' = RX RS RP

Balances}
;BIOMASS BALANCE ;SUBSTRATE BALANCE ;PRODUCT BALANCE

{Kinetics}
RX = U*X U = UM*S/(KS + S) RS = -RX/Y RP= (K1 + K2*U) *X Limit S>=0.0 ; BIOMASS RATE EQUATION, kg/m3 h ;MONOD EQUATION, 1/h ; SUBSTRATE RATE EQUATION, kg/m3 h /PRODUCT RATE EQUATION, g/m3 h

The semicolon or curly brackets are used for comments. INIT specifies the initial conditions. XQ, SQ and PQ are used here for the initial conditions, or the values at time=0. The form X' designates the time derivative or d/dt(X) can be used. Most models are conveniently structured in terms of mass balances and kinetics. Any result quantity on the left of the equal sign is stored for further calculations or for use in graphing. Usually concentration versus time is of interest, but rates versus concentrations make very useful plots for understanding the kinetics. The five integration methods require specifying time intervals, such as DT, DTMIN and DTMAX. This requires a bit of experience. Care must be taken to see that the same results are obtained by two different methods or for at least two different DT values. As is seen in the Appendix, Berkeley Madonna provides many possibilities to change the parameters and graph new runs. These include the following: changing parameters with the parameter window and making overlay plots; changing parameters with sliders; using the Batch Runs facility.

8.1 Introductory Examples

197

Nomenclature
Symbols
k ] and k2 KS P r S V
X

Product formation constants Saturation constant Product concentration Reaction rate Substrate concentration Reactor volume Biomass concentration Yield coefficient Specific growth rate

1/h and kg/kg kg/m 3 mg/m3 kg/m 3 h and kg/m 3 h kg/m 3 m3 kg/m 3 kg/kg 1/h

Indices
Refers Refers Refers Refers Refers Refers to non-growth association rate to growth-association rate to maximum to product to substrate to biomass

2 m P S X

Exercises
1. Vary KS, Mm separately and observe the effects in the graphs. It is useful to zoom in on regions of importance by using the zoom tool in the tool bar. Vary the product kinetics constants (Kj and K2>, and observe the effects. Observe the P versus time curve when S reaches zero. Plot the rates versus the concentrations.

2. 3.

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8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

Results
The plots of X, S and P versus T in Fig. 3 show that when substrate is depleted, the growth stops, and the product continues to increase, but only linearly. The results of Fig. 4 are obtained by varying the product formation rate constants, ki in three runs using a slider, which is defined in the Parameter Menu.
Run 1:1500 steps in 0 seconds
.10

Figure 3. Plots of X, S and P versus time during batch growth and production.

Run 3: 1500 steps in 0.0333 seconds

^.......^
"l"""'"*"'.^_
**

-10

9 -8

/*

7 6

-S:2 P:2 -S:3 P:3

X
.**&'*' \

/ /'
\ /s' \,"~'"

.5
-4

cn

3 2 1

-'7^'^
-rp^ fm vtf*EV

\
20 25

..

15

3()

TIME

Figure 4. Plots of P and S versus time created by varying the product formation rate constant

8.1 Introductory Examples

199

8.1.2 System

Chemostat Fermentation (CHEMO)

A continuous fermenter, as shown in Fig. 1, is referred to as a chemostat. At steady state the specific growth rate becomes equal to the dilution rate, |a = D. Operation is possible at flow rates (F) which give dilution rates (D = F/V) below the maximum specific growth rate (|um). Washout of the organisms will occur when D > (a. The start-up, steady state and washout phenomena can be investigated by dynamic simulation.
D,S F

S,X

Figure 1. Chemostat with model variables.

Model
The program BATFERM may be easily modified to allow for chemostat operation with sterile feed by modifying the mass balance relationships to include the inlet and exit flow terms. The corresponding equations are then: For cells
dX .= - D X + rx

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8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

For substrate
dS 3f = D (SF - S) + rs = -DP + rp

For product
dP df

where D is the dilution rate and Sp the concentration of the limiting substrate in the feed. The same kinetic expressions as in BATFERM will be applied here.

Program
Note the conditional statement for D which allows a batch startup.
{CHEMO}

(Chemostat startup and steady state. batch reactor until time=tstart} {Constants} UM=0.3 KS = 0.1 Kl = 0.03 K2=0.08 Y = 0.8 X0 = 0.01 S0=10 P0=0 SF = 10 Dl = 0.25 t start = 5

Startup

as

; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

1/h kg/m3 kgP/kgX h kgP/kgX kg X/kg S Initial biomass inoculum, kg/m3 Initial substrate cone., kg/m3 Initial product conc.,kg/m3 Feed cone. ,kg/m3 Dilution rate, 1/h Start time for the feed

(Initial Conditions} Init X=XO Init S=SO Init P=PO {Mass Balances} X'=-D*X+RX ; BIOMASS BALANCE EQUATION S =D* (SF-S) +RS ; SUBSTRATE BALANCE EQUATION P'=-D*P+RP ; PRODUCT BALANCE EQUATION

8.1 Introductory Examples

201

{Kinetics}
RX = U*X U = U M * S / ( K S + S) RS=-RX/Y RP= (K1 + K2*U) *X ; BIOMASS RATE EQUATION, kg/m3 h ; MONOD EQUATION, 1/h ; SUBSTRATE RATE EQUATION, kg/m3 h ;PRODUCT RATE EQUATION, kg/m3 h

{Conditional equation for D=if time>=tstart then Dl Prod=D*X

D} else

0 for biomass, kg/m3 h

/Productivity

Nomenclature

Symbols
D ki and KS P r S X Y
ILL 1

Dilution rate Product formation constants Saturation constant Product concentration Reaction rate Substrate concentration Biomass concentration Yield coefficient Specific growth rate Time lag constant

1/h 1/h and kg/kg kg/m3 mg/m3 kg/m3h and kg/m3 kg/m3 kg/m3 kg/kg 1/h

Indices
F MONOD P S X Refers to feed Refers to Monod kinetics Refers to product Refers to substrate Refers to biomass

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8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

Exercises
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Increase D interactively to obtain washout. Note the steady state values of X and S; calculate Y from these. Change SF. Does this alter S at steady state? Why? Calculate S at steady state from D. Verify by simulation. Change the program to account for biomass in the feed.

6. Operate initially as a batch reactor with D = 0, and switch to chemostat operation with D < |jm. Does this reduce the time to reach steady state? Is the exact time of switchover important? 7. Include maintenance requirements to the substrate uptake kinetics using RS = - ( U / Y + M ) * X . Remember to add a value of the maintenance coefficient M to the constants. Investigate the influence of the value of M on the steady state biomass concentration. 8. Using a Parameter Plot, obtain steady state values of X and S for a range of Dl. 9. Rapidly-changing dynamic fermentations do not follow instantaneous Monod kinetics. Modify the model and the program with a dynamic lag on jo, such that d|j /dt= (nMonod - l-O/t- Compare the response to step changes in D for suitable values of the time lag constant
t.

Results
The graphical output in Fig. 2 shows three startups of the fermenter under initially batch growth conditions, using three values for D l . The break in the concentration-time dependency as feeding starts is quite apparent, and the new transient then continues up to the eventual steady state chemostat operating condition or washout in the case of one run. For the results of Fig. 3 the program was changed by adding the line PROD = X*D, and the final, steady state value of production rate was plotted versus Dl for twenty runs, using the Parameter Plot feature of Madonna.

8.1 Introductory Examples

203
Run 3: 4000 steps in 0.0333 seconds 10

Figure 2. Startups of the chemostat after initial batch growth for 3 values of Dl.

Run 8: 200000 steps in 1.38 seconds

Figure 3. Productivity in a chemostat. Steady states are shown for 20 runs using the Parameter Plot.

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8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

8.1.3
System

Fed Batch Fermentation (FEDBAT)

In this case the model equations allow for the continuous feeding of sterile substrate, the absence of outflow from the fermenter and the increase in volume (accumulation of total mass) in the fermenter, schematically as shown in Fig. 1. Simulation of fed batch fermenters can be used to demonstrate the important characteristics of quasi-steady state, linear growth, and use of alternative feed strategies.
F,SF

V X

s p

Figure 1. Fed batch fermenter with model variables.

Model
For fed batch operation, the equations become as follows: Total balance
dV

dT =
For cells

For substrate

8.1 Introductory Examples

205

For product

where F is the volumetric feed rate, Sp is the feed concentration and V is the volume of the fermenter contents at time t. Thus the mass quantities, VX, VS, and VP are calculated and are divided by the volume at each time interval to obtain the concentration terms required for the kinetic relationships. The kinetics are taken to be the same as in BATFERM.

Program
The "IF" statement in the program causes the continuous feed to start when time reaches tfeed, at which point batch operation stops and the fedbatch starts.
(FEDBAT)

{Fermentation {Flow rate is time=tfeed.}

with

batch

start zero

up} is turned on at

initially

and

{ Constants} UM=0.3 ; 1/h KS = 0 . 1 ; kg/m3 ; kgP/kgX h Kl = 0.03 K2 = 0.08 ; kgP/kgX ; kg X/kg S Y = 0.8 ; Initial biomass inoculum, kg/m3 X0 = 0 .01 S0 = 10 ; Initial substrate cone., kg/m3 P0 = 0 ; Initial product conc.,kg/m3 ; Feed conc.,kg/m3 SF = 10 ; Feed flow rate, m3/h Pl-1. 5 tfeed=22.5 ; Start time for the feed {Initial Conditions} init V=l init VX=V*XO init VS=V*SO init VP=V*PO

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8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

{Mass balances, d/dt(V)=F d/dt(VX)=RX*V d/dt(VS)=F*SF+RS*V d/dt(VP)=RP*V {Calculation

X=VX/V S=VS/V P=VP/V

kg/h}

{kg/h} of concentrations}

{Kinetics} RX=U*X U=UM*S/(KS+S)

RS=-RX/Y RP=(K1+K2*U)*X

D=F/V

{nominal

dilution

rate,

1/h}

{Turning the feed on at time = tfeed} F=if time>=tfeed then Fl else 0 {batch

start

up}

Nomenclature Symbols
D F KS ki, k2 M P r S X V Y |i T Dilution rate Flow rate Saturation constant Constants in product kinetics Maintenance coefficient Product concentration Reaction rate Substrate concentration Biomass concentration Reactor volume Yield coefficient Specific growth rate Time delay constant 1/h m3/h kg/m3 1/h and kg/kg kg/kg h kg/m3 kg/m3 h kg/m3 kg/m3 m3 kg/kg 1/h h

8.1 Introductory Examples

207

Indices
F P S X
Refers Refers Refers Refers to feed to product to substrate to biomass

Exercises

Results
Operation begins under initial batch conditions, and feeding of substrate is started at tfeed=22.5 h. In Fig. 2, the break in the batch growth transient, as semi-batch feeding starts is very apparent, with the transient continuing to an apparent "quasi" steady state operating condition. Under these conditions the biomass concentration becomes constant, while the substrate concentration (not shown) is below the KS value and decreases very slowly. As seen in the zoom of Fig. 3, the values of D (= F/V) also decrease since V increases due to the incoming feed, and D eventually becomes equal to p when S falls below K$. The total biomass is determined by the yield coefficient times the total amount of substrate that has been consumed, which is approximately equal to the amount in the reactor initially plus the amount added during the feeding period. During the quasi-steady state, the total biomass will increase linearly with time if, as in this case, the feeding flow rate is constant. This is a "linear

208

8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

growth" situation in which the growth rate is limited by the feeding rate. In Fig. 3 the values of X, S, and P are plotted versus T for a switch from batch (F = 0) to fed batch (F = 5) at time T = 20 h. The product production rate depends linearly on biomass concentration, and thus even when ja becomes very low, P will continue to increase linearly in mg/m3 amounts.
TIME= 34.13 X = 12.34 10-.-

.^

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Figure 2. Transients during the fedbatch fermentation.

Run 1: 5000 steps in 0.1 seconds

0.4.

0.350.3-

0.25. 3 Q 0.2-

-~, I V
-J. T
27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37

CO
0.15-

0.10.050-

TIME

Figure 3. Zooming in on the quasi-steady state.

8.2 Batch Reactors

209

8.2
8.2.1 System

Batch Reactors
Kinetics of Enzyme Action (MMKINET)

The intermediate enzyme-substrate complex is the basis for the simplest form of enzymatic catalysis (Fig. 1):
E +S ^ k2 ES *E +P

Figure 1. Mechanistic model for enzymatic reaction.

Model
The equations for substrate, enzyme-substrate complex and product in a batch reactor are: - = ki E S - k 2 ES dt
dFS ^ = ki E S - (k2 + k3) ES

dt

Using the steady state approximation for the change of active complex,

dt

the Michaelis-Menten equation is obtained.

_dS _ ~ dt ~
K

M +S

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8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

where vmax = k3 E0 and KM = (k2+k3)/ki.

Program
The program with the detailed mechanism is on the CD-ROM.

Nomenclature

Symbols
E ES k KM P S
Vmax

Enzyme concentration mol/m3 Enzyme-substrate complex concentration mol/m3 Reaction rate constants various Michaelis-Menten constant mol/m3 Product concentration mol/m3 Substrate concentration mol/m3 Maximum velocity mol/m3 h

Indices
0 1 2 3 S Mm

Refers to initial values Refers to reaction 1 Refers to reaction 2 Refers to reaction 3 Refers to substrate Refers to Michaelis-Menten

Exercises

8.2 Batch Reactors

211

Results
Figs. 2 and 3 give the results of the full model and the Michaelis-Menten simplification, respectively
Run 1:119 steps in 0.0167 seconds

0.009. 0.0080.007-

Lx""""^"~ \ f' \ /
:.

.0.9 -0.8 0.7 ^..] ...

tn
LU

0.006

^0.0050.0040.0030.002
1

v
fc

8:1
ES:1
P:1

0.6

--

0.5 0.4

riL t ~m f \

a * to

\
*v.

0.3

0.001 - i

*i*

\. i
20

0.2

" %^
^*"'..._

0.1
.0

""""%-,

10

30

40

50

70

80

90

100

TIME

Figure 2. Results from the full model

212

8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

Run 1: 5000 steps in 0.0333 seconds

\ \
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

TIME

Figure 3. Results from the Michaelis-Menten simplification.

8.2.2
System

Lineweaver-Burk Plot (LINEWEAV)

This program simulates the batch uptake of substrate using Michaelis-Menten kinetics, of the form,
r

s = K^TS-

The inverse rate is plotted versus the inverse concentration (Fig. 1). Comparison of this plot with the concentration-time plot together with the Km value, demonstrates the importance of data in the Km region and the difficulty of obtaining this in a batch reactor. It is useful to make specially-scaled graphs in the KM region.

8.2 Batch Reactors

213

Figure 1. Lineweaver-Burk plot to determine vm and

Model
The model is that of a batch reactor with Michaelis-Menten kinetics.
dS dF = ~ r s

Program
To make the Lineweaver-Burk plot, the inverse values of S and rs are calculated in the program on the CD-ROM.

Nomenclature Symbols
KM
r S

Michaelis-Menten constant Reaction rate Substrate concentration

kg/m3 kg/m3 kg/m3

214
Si V

8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

Inverse substrate concentration Reaction velocity or rate Inverse reaction velocity or rate

m3/kg kg/m3 h m3 h/kg

Indices
0 m S

Refers to feed Refers to maximum Refers to substrate

Exercises

Results
The results are shown in Fig. 2 (rates and concentrations versus time) for a range of Michaelis-Menten constants KM and in Fig. 3 the corresponding Lineweaver-Burk plots.

8.2 Batch Reactors

215
Run 4:13710 steps in 0.133 seconds

'0.5
0.45

.0.4
0.35

.0.3 .0.25

0.2
-0.15
0.1

0.05

140

160

Figure 2. Rate and concentration plots for KM = 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 (bottom to top curves).
Run 4:13710 steps in 0.133 seconds

Figure 3. Lineweaver-Burk plots for KM = 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 (bottom to top curves).

8.2.3
System

Oligosaccharide Production in Enzymatic Lactose Hydrolysis (OLIGO)

Some enzyme catalyzed reactions are very complex. For this reason their rigorous modelling leads to complex kinetic equations with a large number of constants. Such models are unwieldy and are usually not suitable for practical

216

8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

purposes. One approach to simplify them is to neglect formation of enzymesubstrate complexes altogether and to deal only with overall reactions of the react ants to products. An example of such a reaction is the enzymatic lactose hydrolysis, a complex process involving a multitude of sequential reactions leading to higher saccharide (oligosaccharides) intermediates. The mechanistic model is rather complex even when only trisaccharides are considered (Fig. 1).
La + E Ga E + La
GaE + H2O

^ ^

LaE

^-

Ga + GI + E

**
^

E + Tr E + Ga

Figure 1. Complex and simplified models for the enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose, where the symbols are La for lactose, Ga for galactose, Gl for glucose, Tr for trisaccharide and E for enzyme.

Neglecting the enzyme complexes, however, gives a simplified model (Fig. 2) requiring only three constants:

1 a L.a

to

. V3II f^i Ga T
K

La -i- Ga
fcaCl

^ Tr i
K 2

Figure 2. Simplified model for the enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose.

The simulation of this model is easy, and the constants can be adjusted to achieve good agreement with experimental data.

Model
This simple batch reactor model is equivalent to the Michaelis-Menten product inhibition model.

8.2 Batch Reactors

217

dLa -gjdGa

- K! La - KI La Ga + K2 Tr = Kj La - KI La Ga + K2 Tr dTr = KI La Ga - K2 Tr

Initial conditions: Lao =150 mmol/m3, Gao = 0, Trg = 0 Range of the kinetic constants: KI = 0.02 - 0.06 miir1, KI = 0.02 - 0.1 L/mmol min, K2 = 1 - 50 min"1.

Program
It was found that K2 must be two orders of magnitude greater than KI in order to bring the simulation into agreement with the experimental data. The program is on the CD-ROM.

Nomenclature

Symbols
Ga Gl

K2 La Tr

Galactose concentration Glucose concentration Reaction rate constant (La > Ga + Gl) Reaction rate constant (La + Ga -> Tri) Reaction rate constant (Tri -> La + Ga) Lactose concentration Trisaccharide concentration

mmol/L mmol/L 1/min L/(mmol min) 1/min mmol/L mmol/L

Indices
0
Refers to initial concentration

218

8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

Exercises

Results
The outputs in Figs. 3 and 4 show the influence of KI, KI and Lao on the sugar concentration profiles.
Run 1:10000 steps in 0.05 seconds
100.
r100

90. 80.

70
60.

. 50. 40 30 20 10 0
20

100 TIME

180

200

Figure 3. Sugar concentrations with Kr = 0.04, K{ = 0.05, La0 = 100.

8.2 Batch Reactors

219
Run 1: 10000 steps in 0.15 seconds
160

8 0

'

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Figure 4. Sugar concentrations with Kj = 0.06, KI = 0.1 Lao = 160.

Reference
Prenosil, J. E., Stuker, E. and Bourne, J. R. (1987) "Formation of Oligosaccharides during an Enzymatic Lactose Hydrolysis Process", Parts I and II: Biotechnol. Bioeng. 30, 1019-1031.

8.2.4
System

Structured Model for PHB Production (PHB)

Heinzle and Lafferty (1980) have presented a structured model to describe the batch culture of Alcaligenes eutrophus under chemolithoautotrophic growth conditions, as discussed in Case C, Sec. 3.3.1. Growth and storage of PHB are described as functions of limiting substrate S (NH4+), residual biomass R and product P (PHB) concentrations.

220

8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

Figure 1. Structured kinetic model for PHB synthesis.

Model
In the model seen in Fig. 1 the whole cell dry mass (X) consists of two main parts, namely PHB (P) and residual biomass (R), where R is calculated as the difference between the total cell dry weight and the concentration of PHB (R = X - P). R can be considered as the catalytically active biomass, including proteins and nucleic acids. With constant concentrations of the dissolved gases, two distinct phases can be recognized: growth and storage. During the growth phase there is sufficient NH4+ to permit protein synthesis. When the limiting substrate NH4+ (S) is exhausted, the protein synthesis ceases, and the production rate of PHB is increased. During the storage phase only PHB is produced. The limiting substrate NH4+ (S) is essential to produce R and limits its synthesis at low concentrations. For the batch process,
dR dF
= r

R = MR

where TR is the rate of synthesis of R and (j is the specific rate of synthesis of R, where S (S/Ks,2)n
+ S) + ^m,2 ! + (S/KS,2)n

where n is the empirical Hill coefficient (see Sec. 3.1.2), having a value of 4 in this example. This is based on the postulate that there are two different mechanisms for the assimilation of NH4+ in procaryotes. This formulation is not a mechanistic one,

8.2 Batch Reactors

221

since in reality the enzyme system, using energy to assimilate NH4+, is repressed by high concentrations of NH4+. For the substrate dS 1

dF = rs = -YR/S **

The rate of synthesis of P(rp) is assumed to be the sum of a growth associated term (rpj) and a biomass associated term (rp,2) and is given by,
dP df = rp = r P j + rP,2

where r P j = YP/R rR The non-growth associated term of the synthesis of P(rp,2) is assumed to be a function of the limiting substrate S, of the residual biomass R and of the product P. When the PHB content in the cells is high, the rate of synthesis of P is decreased, which can be formally described as an inhibition.

Program
The program is found on the CD-ROM.

Nomenclature Symbols
KI KS n P R rp TR rs Inhibition constant, for (NH^SC^ Saturation constant Hill Coefficient Product concentration (PHB) Residual biomass concentration Rate of synthesis of PHB Rate of synthesis of R Rate of substrate uptake kg/m3 kg/m3 kg/m3 kg/m3 kg/m3 kg/m3 kg/(m3 h)

222

8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

X YP/R YR/S

Limiting substrate concentration NHj as (NH4)2S04 Biomass concentration Yield coefficient Yield coefficient, Specific rate of synthesis of R (rR/R) Specific rate of synthesis of P (rp/P)

kg/m3 kg/m3 kg/kg kg/kg 1/h 1/h

Indices
1
2 m

Refers to reaction 1 Refers to reaction 2 Refers to maximum

Exercises

8.2 Batch Reactors

223

Results
Run 1: 416 steps in 0.0167 seconds

4-1
3.5-

-16

^"~'"~*" "

14 12

32.5-.^ '"U--b /
*"'"

-*'

/
T /

/
M*

ISi$%
"."T.-'V/T

-10

of

1.51-

0.50-

^^ *"^
0 5

y / "
'""

I J

y "

'. .'
V
15

f'

-' '*"

-8 a.
-6 4 -2 _n

_j__ *%
10

20
TIME

25

30

35

40

Figure 2* Profiles of residual biomass concentration R, substrate S and product P in the batch fermentation.
Run 4: 41 6 steps in 0.01 67 seconds

35- ...
'"'V^

30-

^.^.'v
\ \
1

4.5
-4

2520-

/ /
/ \ /

.._.. 3:3(2,3) ~- P:3(2.3)

P:4 (5)

3.5
3

a
15105
0.

-*.

-2.5 (/)
-2

"""-,

.*""r-'"

-1.5
-1

"\ ""
0 5 10

\"' /^i''^'

-0.5
-n 25 30 35 40

^^";:^
15 20
TIME

Figure 3. PHB formation at two different initial substrate concentrations.

References
Heinzle, E., and Lafferty, R. M. (1980) Continuous Mass Spectrometric Measurement of Dissolved H2, O2, and CC>2 during Chemolitho-autotrophic

224

8 Simulation Examples of Biological Reaction Processes Using Berkeley Madonna

Growth of Alcaligenes eutrophus strain H16. Eur. J. Appl. Microbiol. BiotechnoL 11, 8.1

8.3 8.3.1
System

Fed Batch Reactors Variable Volume Fermentation (VARVOL and VARVOLD)

Semi-continuous or fed batch cultivation of micro-organisms is common in the fermentation industries. The fed batch fermenter mode is shown in Fig. 1 and was also presented in the example FEDBAT. In this procedure a substrate feed stream is added continuously to the reactor. After the tank is full or the biomass concentration is too high, the medium can be partially emptied, and the filling process repeated. Since the variables, volume, substrate and biomass concentration change with time, simulation techniques are useful in analyzing this operation. This example demonstrates the use of dimensionless equations.

Figure 1. Filling and emptying sequences in a fed batch fermenter.

Model
The balances are as follows: Volume,
dv

dT = FO

Substrate,