Analysis and Optimization of Mycelial Fermentors

提出的研究将表征菌丝发酵中的气液传质，并利用模型菌丝发酵优化反应器性能。一种新的化学传质系数测量技术将被用于表征气液传质过程。一种利用臭氧和靛蓝染料之间的瞬时反应的非稳态化学技术已经被开发出来，由于离子强度低和易于数据收集和分析，它非常适合于模拟菌丝体发酵。生物阶段将用纤维素纤维来模拟，它在悬浮状态下的行为类似于菌丝细胞的生长。该模型系统将用于表征各种搅拌反应器中随搅拌速度、气体速率和固体浓度变化的气液传质过程。用水翼叶轮代替涡轮搅拌器具有重要的工业意义，主要是由于节能和较低的剪切暴露于菌丝体肉汤。黑曲霉将在最有希望的反应器配置中进行葡萄糖到葡萄糖酸的反应，以确定气液传质的改进是否转化为菌丝细胞反应器性能的改进。

The proposed research will characterize gas-liquid mass transfer in mycelial fermentations and optimize reactor performance utilizing a model mycelial fermentation. A new chemical technique for the measurement of mass transfer coefficient will be utilized to characterize the gas-liquid mass transfer. An unsteady-state chemical technique utilizing an instantaneous reaction between ozone and indigo dye has been developed and is well- suited for modelling mycelial fermentations because of low ionic strengths and ease of data collection and analysis. The biological phase will be modeled with cellulose fibers, which in suspension behave similarly to mycelular growths. This model system will be used to characterize the gas- liquid mass transfer as a function of stirrer speed, gassing rate and solids concentration in a variety of agitated reactors. The replacement of turbine agitators with hydrofoil impellers has significant industrial interest, primarily due to energy savings and lower shear exposure for the mycelial broth. The reaction of glucose to gluconic acid by Aspergillus niger will be carried out in the most promising reactor configurations to determine if the improvements in gas-liquid mass transfer translate into improvements in the mycelular reactor performance.