DYNAMIC MODELING AND PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION OF AN EXTRACTIVE FERMENTATION

A dynamic model for a continuous extractive fermentation process is pr oposed. Using this model and the Iterative Dynamic Programming algorit hm, optimal operating profiles are identified for process start-up fro m conventional fermentation operation. Under the optimal operating pro file, profit during the transient operation accumulates at a rate appr oaching that of steady state operation. A sensitivity analysis investi gating the effect of economic variations on the overall profit functio n shows that optimization of manipulated variable profiles primarily r educes the impact of substrate cost, so that the profit function appro aches a linear function of the product value.