MATHEMATICAL, MODELING OF FED-BATCH BUTANOL FERMENTATION WITH SIMULTANEOUS PERVAPORATION

A mathematical model was developed to describe a fed-batch acetone-but anol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation with simultaneous pervaporation. The m odel predicted satisfactorily batch or fed-batch fermentation with or without pervaporation by introducing a parameter reflecting cell activ ity loss during fed-batch fermentation with pervaperation. The model a lso predicted the effect of membrane area, membrane thickness, and swe ep air now rate on glucose consumption rate and residual butanol conce ntration in the fermentation broth. Glucose consumption rare increased by 30% by either doubling the membrane area or decreasing membrane th ickness by half.