Biochemical and Microbial Engineering

Teacher(s)

Stenuit Benoît;

Language

English
> French-friendly

Main themes

From design to scale-up on a pilot scale of microbial and enzymatic processes. Theoretical and methodological foundations of applied chemical kinetics and design of chemical reactors with the characteristics (kinetics and transport phenomena) of biochemical and microbiological processes in order to systematize the principles underlying the analysis and design/sizing of bioreactors. Specifics:
(Micro)biological processes characterized kinetically and thermodynamically : cell growth, its measurement or estimation, use of substrate(s), formation of product(s). Yields. Productivities. Kinetic models. Parameter estimation. The methodology of material and energy balances for the analysis of biotechnological systems and of their performance. Batch, continuous, semi- continuous reactors. Transport phenomena applied to the analysis of aeration, agitation, rheology, scale-up and sterilization of bioreactors.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	a. Contribution de l'activité au référentiel AA (AA du programme) 1.2 ; 2.1 ; 2.2 ; 2.4 ; 4.1 ; 4.2 ; 4.5 ; 8.5 b. Formulation spécifique pour cette activité des AA du programme At the end of this activity, the student is able to: 1. Apply the methodology of material balances to the analysis of biotechnological systems 2. Apply the methodology of energy balance to the analysis of biotechnological systems 3. Apply the methodology of reactor design to the analysis and design/sizing of bioreactors (area of biochemical and microbiological processes) in the specific case of batch reactors 4. Apply the methodology of reactor design to the analysis and design/sizing of bioreactors in the specific case of CSTR (continuous stirred tank reactor). 5. Apply the methodology of reactor design to the analysis and design/sizing of bioreactors in the specific case of semi-continuous reactors (fed-batch). 6. Apply mass transfer phenomena in the analysis of different operations (aeration, agitation, etc.) that can take place in bioreactors. 7. Apply the phenomena of energy transfer to the analysis of different operations (aeration, agitation, etc.) that can take place in bioreactors. 8. Apply the phenomena of transfer of momentum to the analysis of different operations (aeration, agitation, etc.) can take place in bioreactors. 9. Apply the methodology of chemical kinetics applied to the analysis and design/sizing of bioreactors (area of biochemical and microbiological processes). 10. Search for real values of constants ''or of other parameters in correlations that are essential to the design/sizing of biological reactors. 11. As part of the design of a new biological reactor propose in a reasoned manner (with its advantages and limitations) the design of the most appropriate reactor with respect to the industrial context under consideration.

Content

Introduction to biochemical and microbial engineering and to the principles of design, analysis, and optimization of bioprocesses. Mass and energy balances, stoichiometry, kinetics, and yields of biological reactions. Modeling and analysis of fermentation processes in batch, fed-batch, and continuous (chemostat) reactors for the production of catabolic products (e.g., ethanol, organic acids) or anabolic products (e.g., 1,4-butanediol, recombinant proteins). Evaluation of reactor performance (capacity, productivity) and determination of optimal operating conditions. Study of mass and heat transfer phenomena, mixing, and gas-liquid transfer in fermentation processes. Application of these concepts to the sizing, simulation, and optimization of bioprocesses.

Teaching methods

1. Lectures, with guided questions, including concrete examples from industry, or with case analysis by the instructor [conventional oral lectures, interactive lectures using audiovisual material (video projections, PowerPoint)].
2. Individual or team-based, instructor-guided exercise sessions. These exercises are designed to familiarize students with the methodology for solving quantitative problems in the design, modeling, and analysis of microbial bioprocesses.

Evaluation methods

The assessment of the course unit consists of a written examination evaluating conceptual understanding, theoretical development and problem-solving skills.
The examination comprises three parts:

• multiple-choice and/or true/false questions assessing conceptual understanding (10% of the final mark);
• quantitative problem-solving questions similar to those addressed during the exercise sessions (50% of the final mark);
• theoretical development questions based on concepts explained, demonstrated and discussed during the lectures (40% of the final mark).

The final mark for the course unit is calculated according to the following distribution: 10% for multiple-choice or true/false questions, 50% for problem solving and 40% for theoretical development.

Online resources

All course materials are available on Moodle and include:

• Syllabus: the roadmap of the course. It outlines what will be taught, the learning objectives, topics, schedule, assessment methods, required readings, and expectations;
• Textbook (written by B. Stenuit): the core learning resource. It develops and explains the course subject matter in depth and is intended for student study;
• A compilation of the lecture slides (that provide a complementary illustration of the textbook content, with examples);
• A compilation of the exercise sessions and associated reminders;
• Solutions to the exercise sessions;
• A mathematical refresher (e.g., rates of microbial metabolism and expressions for dependent variables based on ordinary differential equations);
• A guideline for problem-solving;
• Additional resources, such as a compilation of Henry's law constants or instructional videos.

Bibliography

* Bioprocessing engineering principles, 2024, 3rd Ed., Ross Carlson, Kate Morrissey, Pauline M. Doran, Academic Press, ISBN: 9780128221914 (BST: TP248.3 .D)
* Bioprocess engineering : basic concepts, 2017, 3rd Ed., Michael L. Shuler, Fikret Kargi, Matthew P. DeLisa. Pearson, ISBN-13: 978-0-13-706270-6 (BST: TP248.3 .S).

Faculty or entity

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