PEC12-25 CAPEC-PROCESS Industrial Consortium ... - DTU Orbit

Rita Lencastre Fernandes
(RLF)
PROCESS
Amol S Hukkerikar (AMH)
CAPEC
Population balance models and computational fluid dynamics:
a model framework to describe heterogeneity in fermentors
The project focuses on the development of models that can
predict the growth and behaviour of heterogeneous microbial
populations. Experimental data is used to formulate Matlab
based models that can predict changes in the microbial
distributed properties (e.g. single cell protein content, growth
and productivity) due to varying environmental conditions in the
fermentor. In a later stage, the population model will be
integrated with a fluid dynamics model for a stirred reactor,
allowing for predicting process behavior under different
environmental conditions. The project is partly funded by the
Danish Council for Strategic Research in the frame of the
project "Towards robust fermentation processes by targeting
population heterogeneity at microscale", and developed in tight
collaboration with the ERA-NET Industry Biotechnology
project "Targeting population heterogeneity at microscale for
robust fermentation processes".
Supervisors: KVG, AJ, Ingmar Nopens (Ghent Univ)
Started: 01-11-2009; Finish: 07-12-2012
Research area: Process-product modelling/design
Model based integrated process-product design - retrofitting
and optimisation
The main objective of this project is to develop a systematic
framework for model based design and optimisation of the
principal unit operations involved in edible oil/bio-fuel industry
and apply the developed methodology for improvement in the
performance of existing installations for edible oil/bio-fuel
processes. Although the oleo-chemical industry is mature and
based on well established processes, the complex systems that
lipids compounds form, and the lack of accurate unit operation
models have limited a wide application of computer aided
methods and tools for process synthesis, modeling and
simulation within this industry. In consequence, the first part of
this project will be the development of unit operations model
library consisting of a collection of new and adopted models
that are not available in existing process simulation tools. The
second part of the work will focus on application of developed
models for optimisation of existing processes with respect to
performance indicators such as minimum operational cost,
product yield improvement and sustainability index.
Supervisors: RaG, GSI, Bent Sarup (Alfa Laval).
Started: 01-07-2010; Finish: 30-06-2013
Research area: A, B, C, E
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