King Faisal University

College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
ChE307 – Biochemical Engineering
S1-2024-2025

SOLUTION OF CLASS PROBLEM-10

Q1 Fed batch fermentation is used to produce a certain bio product. The initial volume is 100 L with
a flow rate of 10 L/hr, the substrate concentration in the feed is 100 g /L and the cell concentration
in the reactor is 10 g /L. Monod parameters are: µ m = 0.2 hr–1, KS = 0.5 g/L and YX/S = 0.3 g cell/g
substrate. Calculate:
 The culture volume after 5 hours.
 Substrate concentration after 5 hours.
 Concentration and total amount of cells after 5 hours.
Concentration and total amount of product, (qp = 0.02 g product/g cell, Po = 0.05 g product/L).
F Do μm S
Given V =V o + Ft D o = μ= μ=
Vo 1+ Do t K S +S

( )
μ KS t t
t
X X =Y S Pt =Pt +q X + V + Ft t
S= X = Xo+ F Y X/ S So t X= m X/S o o P m o
μm −μ V 2
t
P
P=
V
Solution
The culture volume after 5 hours:
V =V o + Ft=100+ ( 10 )( 5 )=150 L
Substrate concentration after 5 hours:
F 10
Do = = =0.1
V o 100
Do 0.1 −1
μ= = =0.067 hr
1+ Do t 1+ ( 0.1 ) ( 5 )
μm S
μ=
K S +S
Rearranging the equation:
μ KS ( 0.067 )( 0.5 )
S= = =0.252 g substrate/ L
μm −μ ( 0.2 )−( 0.067 )
Concentration and total amount of cells after 5 hours:
t t
X = X o + F Y X / S S o t=( 100 ) ( 10 ) + ( 10 ) ( 0.3 ) ( 100 ) (5 )=2500 g cells
t
X 2500
X= = =16.67 g cells /L
V 150
Concentration and total amount of product:
X m=Y X / S S o= ( 0.3 ) (100 )=30 g cells /L

(
Pt =Pto +q P X m + V o +
Ft
2 ) (
t=( 100 ) ( 0.05 ) + ( 0.02 )( 30 ) 100+
t
) ( 10 )( 5 )
2
( 5 ) =380 g product

P 380
P= = =2.53 g product / L
V 150

Prof Tushar Sen– Chemical Engineering Department Page 1 of 2

 King Faisal University
College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
ChE307 – Biochemical Engineering
S1-2024-2025
Q2A microorganism has a mass doubling time of 2.4 hr when grown on a certain substrate. The
saturation constant using this substrate is 1.3 g/L and maximum growth rate of 0.4 hr –1. The cell
yield on for this substrate is 0.46 g cell/g substrate. The feed stream to the chemostat contains 38
g/L substrate calculate the following.
 Cell concentration when the dilution rate is one half of the maximum
 Substrate concentration when the dilution rate is one half of the maximum
 Cell productivity when the dilution rate is one half of the maximum
Given X at D = 0.5Dm
Dm =μ net
ln 2 ln 2
t d= → μnet =
μnet td

(
X =Y X / S S o−
Ks D
μ m−D )
S at D = 0.5Dm
KsD
S= P =DX
μm −D rX

SOLUTION
X at D = 0.5Dm
Dm =μ net
ln 2 ln 2
t d= → μnet =
μnet td
ln 2 −1
μnet =¿ =0.289 hr
2.4
−1
D=0.5 D m=( 0.5 )( 0.289 )=0.144 hr

X =Y X / S
( S o−
Ks D
μ m−D ) (
=( 0.46 ) 38−
0.4−0.144 )
( 1.3 ) ( 0.144 )
=17.144 g cells / L

S at D = 0.5Dm
K s D ( 1.3 )( 0.144 )
S= = =0.731 g substrate/ L
μm −D 0.4−0.144
PrX at D = 0.5Dm
PrX =DX =( 0.144 )( 17.144 )=2.469 g cells / L. hr

Prof Tushar Sen– Chemical Engineering Department Page 2 of 2