Introduction

Organic acids with wide applications in various fields are made from living cells commercially. Organic acids like citric acid, gluconic acid, itaconic acid and lactic acids are manufactured by means of such large-scale bioprocesses. Among them, the itaconic acid (Methelene Butanedioic acid common synonyms: Methylene succinic acid, 3-carboxy-3-butanoic acid, propylenedicarboxylic acid) is the most promising one.

Itaconic acid is a colorless crystalline carboxylic acid obtained by the fermentation of carbohydrates. Itaconic acid was discovered by Baup (1837) as a thermal decomposition product of citric acid. The biosynthesis by fungi from carbohydrates was first reported by Kinoshita (1932), who isolated itaconic acid from the growth medium of an osmophilic fungus, Aspergillus itaconicus. Later, other fungal strains, mainly of the species Aspergillus terreus, were found to be more suitable. At the Northern Regional Research Laboratory (NRRL) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Peoria, Illinois, a screening programme of more than 300 strains identified the most published strain, A. terreus NRRL 1960 (Lockwood and Reeves, 1945). Attempts were also made to develop a biotechnical process for itaconic acid production (Nelson et al., 1952; Pfeifer et al., 1952). Later, optimized industrial processes were established providing the limited market with itaconic acid. The prominent developments in itaconic acid production (batch fermentation, free suspended biomass) took place before 1966 (Petuchow et al., 1980). Over the next 15 years, the interest in itaconic acid production declined, as indicated by the few publications during this time. Since the early 1980s, there has been increasing concern regarding sustainability, environmental conservation, renewable resources and rising energy costs.

Heat transfer design of fermenter :-

Heat input

i > By air

volume of air at NTP  = 0.002 x 60

= 0.12 m³ /hr

Air inlet temp = 70^oC

Air outled temp = 25^oC

Heat lost by air = in C_p   ∇  T

=0.155 x 0.238 x 2.203 x 45

=3.665 lb-cal / hr

= 3.5 x 0.002

=0.007 kw

iii> Heat input due to agitation = 7.5% (power input by impeller)

= 0.075 x 0.1864

= 0.01398 kw

Total = (i) + (ii) + (iii)

= 43.457  lb-cal/hr

Heat output

By evaporation of water

P_o = Vap pressure of water at 25^oC = 24 mm Hg

P = Air pressure = 1010 mm  Hg

Quantity of dry air = 0.155 Kg/hr

∴Quantity of water evaporated = 0.155 x 0.015 11

=2.342 x 10^-3 Kg/hr

= 5.159 x 10^-3 lb/hr

Latent heat of water at 25^oC = 583 Cal

∴Quantity of water = 5.159 x 10^-3 x 583

= 3.0077 lb cal / hr

= 1.365 Kcal/hr

Heat removed by cooling water = 43.452 – 3.0077

= 40.4443 lb-cal/hr

Cooling water temperature = 18^oC

If cooling water exit temperature = 22^oC

Sp Gravity of water at 20^oC = 0.997

If water velocity = 3ft/sec

Area of crops section required for flow

= 0.002166 in²

= 2.166 x 10^-3 in²

= 56.8 x 10³ in²

Heat transfer coeffect

O. d = 0.405”

I . d  = 0.269”

Out side surface = π do

= π  (0.405)

= 1.272 in

Calculation of coil inside film coeffct

d_c           = dia of coil = 75 mm = 2.95”

Calculation of coil outside film coeffct

D_j = Vessel diameter

h_o = 77.73  lb cal/hr. ft² – ^oC

This value lies between 50 – 150

So, this pipe serve the purpose

Q = U  A  Δ T

40.449 = 62.72  A (4.7)

A = 0.1372 ft²

Length of pipe required   =

∴Two sets of coils with 2 turns each is used coil diameter = 75 mm, pitch = 5mm

Chemical Engineering design of fermenter

Pressure drop across coils

u  = 3 ft /sec

= 3 x 3600 ft/hr

d= 0.269  d_c = 75 mm =2.95”

NR_e  =

 

 

= 6242.57

= 9294.107

NR_e crit > NR_e

=0.0 = 329

f_c = 0.00993

Heat balance over fermenter daten temp (0^oC)

I› Heat input

Air

In = 0.155 kg/hr

T­₁ = 0^oC

T₂ = 70^oC

C_p = 0.238 cal/g –^oC

∴Q_air  = in cp    T

= 0.155 x 0.238 x 70

= 2.5823 Kcal/hr

2> Fermentation  & Agitation  = 0.007 + 0.01398

= 0.02098 kw

= 0.02098 K J/sec

Cooling water

In  = 4.589  kg/hr

C_p = cal/g – ^oC

T₂ = 18^oC

T₁ = 0^oC

∴Q   = in CP    T

= 4.589 x 1 x 18

= 82.602  Kcal/hr

Heat Output

1) Air

in  = 0.155 Kg/hr

C_p  = 0.238 cal/g-^oC

T₂ = 25^oC

T₁ = 0^oC

∴Q_air  = in CP   T

= 0.155 x 0.238 (25-0)

= 0.92225  Kcal/hr

Evaporation  = 1.365 Kcal/hr

Cooling water

in = 4.589 kg/hr

T₂ = 22^oC

∴Q = 4.589 x 1 x 22

= 100.958 Kcal/hr

Table 1: Heat balance

	I/P Heat (Kcal/hr)	O/P Heat (Kcal/hr)
1. Air	2.5823	Air	0.922
2. Fermentation +Agitation	17.98	Evaporation	1.365
3. Cooling water	82.602	Cooling water	10.96

Total = 103. 1643                                           Total = 103.25

∴This completes the heat transfer design of fermenter

Design of shaft

= 70 MP_a

d = 12.7 mm

Mechanical design

Design of sparger

Height of liquid = 216 mm = 0.7 ft

Total pressure at the bottom of vessel = 5+0.32

= 5.32 lb/in²

Air pressure P₁ = 14.7 x 2 = 29.4 lb/in²  (Abs)

Pressure at bottom P₂ = 5.32 + 14.7 = 20.02  lb/in² (Abs)

The velocity of flow

v = 1.4

u₁ = 0

s = 1.29 Kg/m³ = 0.076  lb/ft³

4₂ = 5.053 ft/sec

Area required for this flow

=0.246 x 10^-3  ft²

=0.0228 x 10^-3 m²

= 22.8 mm²

considering losses

10 holes with 3 mm dia having 5 mm pitch

Welding joints

Shaft diameter = 13 mm

Number of bolts = 4.Cover plate thickness = 4 mm

Results and Discussion

The total heat requirement for 3lt bench top fermentor – 103.16 kcal/ hr. Design of sparger – 10holes with 3mm diameter having 5mm pitch. Diameter of the shaft required – 13mm

Production of Itaconic acid in Batch Fermentation (bench top fermentor):

An investigation has been done to study the maximum production of itaconic acid using different configuration reactors with a configuration volume of 100 ml and 2 batch reactors. Aspergillus terreus species were found to give a maximum yield of itaconic acid in 100 ml batch reactor than 2 reactor indicating that the 100 ml reactor was most suited for the production of itaconic acid.    A. terreus has produced maximum itaconic acid of 27 g/lt (Figure) under optimized conditions (Table).  The present observed results were found to be in consonance with the reports of Prucssc et al., (1998).

Table 2: Itaconic acid production using 100ml & 2 Lt batch reactor by A. terreus.

S.NO.	Time (hrs)	Itaconic acid Concentration (g/lt)
		100ml	2 Lt
1	0	0.00	0.00
2	24	1.04	1.03
3	48	5.13	4.93
4	72	8.97	8.05
5	96	13.14	13.09
6	120	27.00	26.40

Table 3: Anova: Two-Factor With out Replication

Summary	Count	Sum	Average	Variance
Row 1	2	0	0	0
Row 2	2	2.07	1.035	5E-05
Row 3	2	10.06	5.03	0.02
Row 4	2	17.02	8.51	0.4232
Row 5	2	26.23	13.115	0.00125
Row 6	2	53.4	26.7	0.18
Column 1	6	55.28	9.213333333	100.0411867
Column 2	6	53.5	8.916666667	96.28694667

Table 4:

Source ofVariation	SS	df	MS	F	P-value	F crit
Rows	981.2802	5	196.25604	2722.249	1.403E-08	5.05032
Columns	0.2640333	1	0.264033333	3.662382	0.1138396	6.60789
Error	0.3604667	5	0.072093333
Total	981.9047	11

 Anova     

Figure 1: Itaconic acid production using 100ml & 2 Lt batch reactor by terreus.   Click here to View figure

Summary and Conclusion

Recent advancements in the field of industrial biotechnology have led to the development of successful organic acids, which is being used in the production of biodegradable plastics.  Itaconic acid is made use as a co-monomer at a level of 1–5% for certain polymer products. It is also important as a constituent for the fabrication of synthetic fibers, coatings, adhesives, thickeners, and binders.

So the power requirement for the fermentor to produce maximum itaconic acid production carried in 3lt benchtop fermentor. A. terreus has produced maximum itaconic acid of 27 g/lt under optimized conditions.

References

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