Mathematical modeling of the acetone-butanol fermentation for the purposes of bioreactor design

The acetone-butanol fermentation by Clostridium acetobutylicum is receiving renewed interest as a process for large scale solvent production. The fermentation kinetics have been modeled as functions of substrate, butyrate, and butanol concentrations and pH. These models have been applied to simulate batch, single stage stirred continuous, and two stage stirred continuous fermentations. The batch simulation results accurately reproduced trends of cell growth, acid production, and solvent production reported in experimental studies. The performance of the two stage, continuous process was shown to be vastly superior to that of the single stage process on the basis of outlet butanol concentration, volumetric productivity, and substrate utilization. The ratio of the two reactor volumes which will yield the maximum productivity was found to depend upon the feed substrate concentration and the desired effluent butanol concentration. The dilution rate necessary to achieve this optimum operating state was dependent upon the ratio of the reactor volumes.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemical Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Chemical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1983

Author dc:creator

• Gray, Gary Cecil

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/111009

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/111009