Comparison between different modes of reactor operation- Batch Vs CSTR (Continuous

stirred tank reactor)

Concentration trend in a batch reactor can be approximated to that in a series of CSTR
with high dilution rate or one CSTR with very low dilution rate.

(operated at high dilution rate)

Batch reactor

(operated at low dilution rate)

Comparison between different modes of reactor operation- Batch Vs CSTR (Continuous stirred tank
reactor)
Comparison of productivity of biomass and product
Type of reaction Batch CSTR
Zero order (Chemical Similar productivity between batch and CSTR
reactions)
-rA=k
First order -rA=kCA, Initially, concentration of reactant is high In a CSTR, since the substrate
Michaelis-Menten which leads to high rate of reaction. As added is diluted by the huge
kinetics v= substrate concentration decreases over time, reactor volume and since the
rate of reaction also decreases with time. reactor is maintained at the steady
Hence, the average productivity from batch state substrate concentration
(Cell-free enzyme based
reactor is higher than CSTR of same volume. which is very low, the rate of
reactions)
reaction is low throughout and
However, batch reactions with large downtime hence the productivity from CSTR is
can reduce the productivity. lower than batch reactor of same
volume.
Autocatalytic reaction Since the catalyst (cell) concentration is lower In a CSTR, the catalyst (cell)
rp=qpX at the start of the batch reaction, the rate of concentration is maintained at a
the reaction is lower in the initial stages of a high steady state concentration. So,
(cell-based system) batch reactor. As the cell concentration the substrate entering the reactor
increases with time, the rate of reaction also is converted to product at a high
increases. In comparison with CSTR, rate throughout the process.
productivity of autocatalytic reactions is lower Hence, the productivity is higher
in batch reactor. than batch reactor.
Comparison between different modes of reactor operation- Batch Vs CSTR (Continuous stirred tank
reactor)

Batch CSTR
Disadvantage associated High downtime can reduce Since continuous operation is
the productivity of batch carried out for months, there
reactor is a high risk of contamination
of the operation which can
lead to process breakdown

Longer duration of operation

can lead to higher number of
doubling of cells. This can
cause genetically engineered
strains to revert back to wild
type or acquire new
mutations. Emergence of
such mutant strains will
reduce productivity
 Chemostat as a tool to evaluate kinetic and yield parameters

1. Determination of kinetic parameters of biomass growth

µ
µ
In a chemostat, µ=D,

Similar to Lineweaver-Burk plot, taking a reciprocal of the above equation helps in getting a
linearized form of the above equation.
Slope =
µ

y = mx + c

Steady state substrate concentration (S) data obtained from 1/µmax

chemostat experiments carried out at different dilution rates
(D) can be used to plot 1/S Vs 1/D
 Chemostat as a tool to evaluate kinetic and yield parameters
2. Determination of true yield coefficients and maintenance coefficient
True vs Observed yield coefficient
True or stoichiometric or =
theoretical yield

Observed or apparent yield =

Consider ST - grams of substrate consumed

X - grams of biomass produced
SX- grams of substrate directed for biomass formation
SP- grams of substrate directed for product formation

True yield YXS = SX X

Observed yield Y’XS= ST CELL

SP
P
 Chemostat as a tool to evaluate kinetic and yield parameters

2. Determination of true yield coefficients and maintenance coefficient

YXS – True yield of biomass from substrate measured from stoichiometry

 Example stoichiometric equation of biomass formation from substrate is as given below:

0.5 Glucose + 0.3 Citrate + 0.5 ATP +0.8 NADH  CH3O0.7N2P

 But such stoichiometric equation for biomass formation is difficult to elucidate.

YXS’- Apparent yield of biomass from substrate measured from experiments

However, YXS’ is easy to determine from experiments as given below

YXS’=
 Chemostat as a tool to evaluate kinetic and yield parameters
2. Determination of true yield coefficients and maintenance coefficient

YXS’ can be mathematically related to YXS and ms as shown below

YXS’=

( )
YXS’ = = .
( )
.

Assuming product formed is energy associated,

Taking a reciprocal and substituting µ=D,

 Chemostat as a tool to evaluate kinetic and yield parameters
2. Determination of true yield coefficients and maintenance coefficient

y = mx + c
Hence, by carrying out chemostat experiments at
different D, and measuring the YXS’ in each experiment, a
plot of 1/YXS’ Vs 1/D can be constructed

Slope of the plot = ms

Intercept of the plot = 1/YXS

Hence, chemostat can be used as a tool to experimentally determine true yield of biomass from
substrate and maintenance coefficient.
Reference

Chemostat: Chapter 13, Reactor Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering Principles, Pauline M

Doran