Chapter 7 Reaction Mechanisms, Pathways, Bioreactions, and Bioreactors

Problem 7-11B Beef catalase has been used to accelerate the decomposition of hydrogen
peroxide to yield water and oxygen [Chem. Eng. Educ., 5, 141 (1971)]. The concentration of
hydrogen peroxide is given as a function of time for a reaction mixture with a pH of 6.76
maintained at 30C.
t (min)
C H2O2 (mol/L)

0
0.02

10
0.01775

20
0.0158

50
0.0106

100
0.005

(a) Determine the Michaetis-Menten parameters Vmax and KM.

(b) If the total enzyme cancentration is tripled, what will the substrate concentration be after
20 minutes?
(c) How could you make this problem more difficult?
(d) List ways you can work this problem incorrectly.
Problem 7-12B It has been observed that substrate inhibition occurs in the following
enzymatic reaction:
1

+
2

+
3

+
4

. +
5

. +
(a) Show that the rate law for the sequence above is consistent with the plot in Figure P7-12
of -rs, (mmol/L.min) versus the substrate concentration S (mmol/L).

Figure P7-12. Michealis-Menten plot for substrate inhibition

Problem 7-16B The production of a product P from a particular gram negative bacteria
follows the Monod growth law

+
= 0.5 g/g.

=
with max = 1 h-1 KM = 0.25 g/dm3, and Yc/s

(a). The reaction is to be carried out in a batch reactor with the initial cell concentralion of Cc0
= 0.1 g/dm3 and substrate concentration of Cs0 = 20 g/dm3.

Cc = Cc0 + Yc/s (Cs0 Cs)

Plot rs, -rc, Cs and Cc as a function of time.
(b) Redo part (a) and use a logistic growth law.

)

and plot Cc and rc as a function of time. The term , is the maximum cell mass and is called
the carrying capacity and is equal to C = 1.0 g/dm3. Can you find an analytical solution for
the batch reactor? Compare with part (a) for C = Yc/s Cs0 + Cc0.
= (1

(c) The reaction is now to be carried out in a CSTR with Cs0 = 20 g/dm3 and Cc0 = 0. What is
the dilution rate at which washout occurs?
(d) For the conditions in part (c), what is the dilution rate that will give the maximum product
rate (g/h) if Yp/c = 0.15 g/g? What are the concentrations Cc, Cs, Cp, and rs at this value of D?
(e) How would your answers to (c) and (d) change if cell death could not be neglected with kd
= 0.02 h-1?
(f) How would your answers to (c) and (d) change if maintenance could not be neglected with
m = 0.2 g/h/dm3?
(g) List ways you can work this problem incorrectly.
(h) How could you make this problem more difficult?
Problem 7-23A A CSTR is being operated at steady state. The cell growth follows the Monod
growth law without inhibition. The exiting substrate and cell concentrations are measured as a
function of the volumetric flow rate (represented as the dilution rate), and the results are shown
below. Of course, measurements are not taken until steady state is achieved after each change
in the flow rate. Neglect substrate consumption for maintenance and the death rate, and assume
that Yp/c is zero. For run 4, the entering substrate concentration was 50 g/dm3 and the volumetric
flow rate of the substrate was 2 dm3/s.
Run
Cs (g/dm3)
D (day-1)
Cc (g/dm3)
1
1
1
0.9
2
3
1.5
0.7
3
4
1.6
0.6
4
10
1.8
4
(a) Determine the Monod growth parameters max and Ks.
(b) Estimate the stoichiometric coeficients, Yc/s and Ys/c.
(c) List ways you can work this problem incorrectly.
(d) How could you make this problem more difficult?