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Bioprocess kinetics in a horizontal rotating tubular bioreactor

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Abstract

A horizontal rotating tubular bioreactor (HRTB) is a plug flow bioreactor whose interior is provided with O-ring-shaped partition walls that serve as carriers for microbial biomass. During this investigation, microbial biomass was grown in suspension and on the bioreactor inner surface as a microbial biofilm with average mass that was considerably higher than suspended biomass. The dynamics of bioprocess in HRTB was studied by different combinations of process parameters (bioreactor rotation speed and mean residence time) and it was monitored by withdrawing the samples from five positions along the bioreactor. During this investigation it was also observed that mean residence time had a more pronounced effect on the bioprocess dynamics than bioreactor rotation speed. For the description of bioprocess kinetics in HRTB an unstructured kinetic model was established that defines biomass growth, product formations and substrate consumption rate by using a modified Monod (Levenspiel) model. This kinetic model defines changes in suspension and in microbial biofilm, and it shows relatively good agreement with experimental data.

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Abbreviations

f :

Ratio between volume of biofilm and liquid in HRTB (m3 m−3)

K S :

Substrate saturation constant (kg m−3)

K SM2 :

Substrate saturation constant for biofim maintenance (kg m−3)

K SP1 :

Substrate saturation constant for ethanol production in biofilm (kg m−3)

K SP2 :

Substrate saturation constant for lactate production in biofilm (kg m−3)

L :

Bioreactor length (m)

m 2 :

Specific maintenance rate of biofilm (kg kg−1 h−1)

m 2max :

Maximal specific maintenance rate of biofilm (kg kg−1 h−1)

n :

Bioreactor rotation speed (s−1)

P 1 :

Ethanol concentration (kg m−3)

P 1*:

Critical ethanol concentration (kg m−3)

P 1,0 :

Initial ethanol concentration (kg m−3)

P 2 :

Lactate concentration (kg m−3)

P 2,0 :

Initial lactate concentration (kg m−3)

q P1 :

Specific rate of ethanol production in suspension (kg kg−1 h−1)

q P1max :

Maximal specific rate of ethanol production in suspension (kg kg−1 h−1)

q P1,2 :

Specific rate of ethanol production in biofilm (kg kg−1 h−1)

q P1,2max :

Maximal specific rate of ethanol production in biofilm (kg kg−1 h−1)

q P2,2 :

Specific rate of lactate production in biofilm (kg kg−1 h−1)

q P2,2max :

Maximal specific rate of lactate production in biofilm (kg kg−1 h−1)

S :

Substrate concentration (kg m−3)

S 0 :

Initial substrate concentration in medium inflow (kg m−3)

w :

Mean liquid flow velocity (m s−1)

X 1 :

Biomass concentration in suspension (kg m−3)

X 2A :

Average areal density of biofilm (kg m−2)

X 2V :

Average volumetric density of biofilm (X 2A /δ) (kg m−3)

X 2 :

Biofilm volumetric density recalculated on the volume of suspension in HRTB [X 2V f; Eqs. 3, 4, 5] (kg m−3)

Y P1/S :

Ethanol conversion coefficient (kg kg−1)

Y P2/S :

Lactate conversion coefficient (kg kg−1)

Y X1/S :

Biomass conversion coefficient (kg kg−1)

δ :

Average biofilm thickness (m)

μ :

Specific growth rate (s−1)

μ max :

Maximal specific growth rate (s−1)

τ :

Mean residence time (s)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemical Engineering, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6/IV, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    M. Ivančić, B. Šantek, S. Novak, P. Horvat & V. Marić

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  1. M. Ivančić
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  2. B. Šantek
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  3. S. Novak
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  4. P. Horvat
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  5. V. Marić
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Correspondence to B. Šantek.

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Ivančić, M., Šantek, B., Novak, S. et al. Bioprocess kinetics in a horizontal rotating tubular bioreactor. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 26, 169–175 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-003-0346-9

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