Biochem assignment
Designing a bioreactor for producing ethanol from glucose involves several considerations, including the
type of microorganism used for fermentation, reactor configuration, operating conditions, and
downstream processing. Here's a basic outline for designing such a bioreactor:
1. **Microorganism Selection**: Choose a suitable microorganism capable of fermenting glucose to
ethanol efficiently. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer's yeast) is commonly used for ethanol production.
2. **Reactant and Product**: Glucose is the reactant, and ethanol is the desired product. Ensure that
the glucose feedstock is of high purity to avoid impurities that may inhibit fermentation.
3. **Reactor Configuration**: A continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) is commonly used for ethanol
production due to its simplicity and ease of operation. Alternatively, a packed bed reactor or
immobilized cell reactor may be considered for higher productivity and easier separation of cells from
the product.
4. **Operating Conditions**:
- Temperature: Maintain the temperature within the range suitable for the selected microorganism
(usually around 30-35°C for Saccharomyces cerevisiae).
- pH: Maintain the pH within the optimal range for fermentation (typically pH 4.0-5.0 for yeast
fermentation).
- Oxygen Supply: Ensure adequate oxygen supply for aerobic growth of the microorganism, especially
in the initial stages of fermentation.
- Stirring or Mixing: Provide sufficient agitation to maintain uniform mixing and prevent substrate
inhibition.
5. **Bioreactor Sizing**:
- Calculate the reactor volume required to achieve the desired ethanol production rate of 10 kg/hr.
- Consider factors such as cell density, fermentation kinetics, and residence time to determine the
appropriate reactor size.
6. **Downstream Processing**:
- Separation of cells from the fermentation broth: Depending on the reactor configuration, cells may
need to be separated from the fermentation broth before ethanol recovery.
- Ethanol recovery: Use techniques such as distillation, membrane separation, or adsorption to recover
ethanol from the fermentation broth.
7. **Safety and Environmental Considerations**: Ensure proper safety measures are in place to prevent
accidents, and consider the environmental impact of the process, including waste treatment and energy
consumption.
8. **Monitoring and Control**: Implement monitoring and control systems to maintain optimal
operating conditions and ensure consistent ethanol production.
This outline provides a starting point for designing a bioreactor for ethanol production from glucose.
Detailed calculations and experimentation may be required to optimize the process for specific
conditions and requirements.
Certainly! Here's a simplified Process Flow Diagram (PFD) outlining the key steps involved in ethanol
production from glucose:
```
Glucose
Fermentation
Fermentation Broth
Separation
▼
Ethanol Product
```
1. **Glucose**: Glucose, obtained from sources such as corn, sugarcane, or cellulosic biomass, serves as
the feedstock for ethanol production.
2. **Fermentation**: Glucose undergoes fermentation in the presence of yeast (e.g., Saccharomyces
cerevisiae) to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide. This step occurs in a bioreactor under controlled
conditions of temperature, pH, and oxygen supply.
3. **Fermentation Broth**: The mixture of ethanol, residual glucose, yeast cells, and other fermentation
by-products forms the fermentation broth.
4. **Separation**: The fermentation broth undergoes separation to recover ethanol from the mixture.
This typically involves processes such as centrifugation, filtration, or sedimentation to separate the yeast
cells from the liquid phase.
5. **Ethanol Product**: The separated ethanol is collected as the final product of the process, while the
remaining by-products and unfermented glucose may be recycled or further processed for by-product
recovery or waste treatment.
This simplified PFD illustrates the basic steps involved in ethanol production from glucose, highlighting
the conversion of glucose through fermentation into ethanol, followed by separation to obtain the
ethanol product.
To determine the volume of the bioreactor required to achieve the target ethanol production rate, we
need to consider several factors including the fermentation kinetics, cell density, residence time, and the
efficiency of the fermentation process. Let's break down the calculation:
1. **Fermentation Rate**: The rate of ethanol production per unit volume of fermentation broth can be
determined based on the kinetics of the fermentation process. This rate is typically expressed as grams
of ethanol produced per liter of fermentation broth per hour (g/L/hr).
2. **Target Ethanol Production Rate**: Given the target ethanol production rate of 10 kg/hr, we need to
convert this into grams per hour. Since 1 kg = 1000 grams, the target production rate is 10,000 g/hr.
Typical conditions for ethanol fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer's yeast) as the
microorganism involve controlling several key parameters to optimize ethanol production. Here are the
typical conditions:
1. **Temperature**: The fermentation temperature is typically maintained between 30°C to 35°C. This
range provides an optimal environment for yeast activity and ethanol production.
2. **pH**: The pH of the fermentation broth is usually maintained between 4.0 to 5.0. This pH range is
favorable for yeast growth and ethanol production while minimizing the risk of contamination by other
microorganisms.
3. **Nutrient Supply**: Yeast requires essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, vitamins, and
minerals for growth and fermentation. Yeast extract or other nitrogen sources may be added to the
fermentation medium to ensure adequate nutrient supply.
4. **Oxygen Supply**: In the initial stages of fermentation, yeast cells require oxygen for aerobic growth
and reproduction. Adequate oxygen supply is essential to support yeast metabolism and maintain
fermentation efficiency.
5. **Glucose Concentration**: The concentration of glucose in the fermentation medium influences
ethanol yield and productivity. Typically, glucose concentrations in the range of 10% to 20% (w/v) are
used for ethanol fermentation, although higher concentrations may be achievable with certain yeast
strains and fermentation techniques.
6. **Agitation**: Agitation or mixing of the fermentation broth is essential to maintain uniform
distribution of nutrients, oxygen, and yeast cells throughout the medium. Proper agitation helps prevent
the formation of gradients that could affect fermentation performance.
7. **Sterilization**: Fermentation equipment, media, and vessels must be sterilized to prevent
contamination by unwanted microorganisms that could compete with yeast or produce undesirable by-
products.
8. **Fermentation Time**: The duration of fermentation depends on various factors including yeast
strain, fermentation conditions, and desired ethanol concentration. Typically, fermentation may last
from a few days to a week or more until the desired ethanol concentration is achieved.
By controlling these parameters within the specified ranges, ethanol fermentation can be optimized to
achieve high ethanol yields and productivities while minimizing the formation of unwanted by-products
and the risk of contamination.
Typical conditions for ethanol fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer's yeast) as the
microorganism involve controlling several key parameters to optimize ethanol production. Here are the
typical conditions:
1. **Temperature**: The fermentation temperature is typically maintained between 30°C to 35°C. This
range provides an optimal environment for yeast activity and ethanol production.
2. **pH**: The pH of the fermentation broth is usually maintained between 4.0 to 5.0. This pH range is
favorable for yeast growth and ethanol production while minimizing the risk of contamination by other
microorganisms.
3. **Nutrient Supply**: Yeast requires essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, vitamins, and
minerals for growth and fermentation. Yeast extract or other nitrogen sources may be added to the
fermentation medium to ensure adequate nutrient supply.
4. **Oxygen Supply**: In the initial stages of fermentation, yeast cells require oxygen for aerobic growth
and reproduction. Adequate oxygen supply is essential to support yeast metabolism and maintain
fermentation efficiency.
5. **Glucose Concentration**: The concentration of glucose in the fermentation medium influences
ethanol yield and productivity. Typically, glucose concentrations in the range of 10% to 20% (w/v) are
used for ethanol fermentation, although higher concentrations may be achievable with certain yeast
strains and fermentation techniques.
6. **Agitation**: Agitation or mixing of the fermentation broth is essential to maintain uniform
distribution of nutrients, oxygen, and yeast cells throughout the medium. Proper agitation helps prevent
the formation of gradients that could affect fermentation performance.
7. **Sterilization**: Fermentation equipment, media, and vessels must be sterilized to prevent
contamination by unwanted microorganisms that could compete with yeast or produce undesirable by-
products.
8. **Fermentation Time**: The duration of fermentation depends on various factors including yeast
strain, fermentation conditions, and desired ethanol concentration. Typically, fermentation may last
from a few days to a week or more until the desired ethanol concentration is achieved.
By controlling these parameters within the specified ranges, ethanol fermentation can be optimized to
achieve high ethanol yields and productivities while minimizing the formation of unwanted by-products
and the risk of contamination.
