Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) production from methane in bubble column bioreactors: Process simulation and design optimization

Sustainable Process for the Production of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) from Renewable Resources: A Simulation Study

“…Moreover, the impact of the variation of the main operational parameters (type of biomass, gas composition, and cosubstrate concentration), which were only tested individually in prior experimental works, was assessed using the best geometry/configuration derived from our previous work. 25 In particular, the parameters mentioned above were analyzed to simulate and correlate their effects, aiming to identify the limits and the most proper conditions for the optimal process performance on a larger scale. The intervals studied were taken from previous experimental works.…”

“…The biomass growth and PHB-co-HV accumulation reactions, detailed in the following paragraphs, were assumed zeroorder reactions in agreement with the literature, 29 thus meaning that the concentration of PHAs increases with a straight line until the external carbon source is depleted. The gas−liquid mass transfer coefficient was theoretically estimated based on the Frossling and Higbie equations, according to the procedure detailed in Amabile et al 25 Gas recycling was also incorporated into the system to recirculate a part of the gaseous streams leaving the reactors, as this configuration increases the performance of the system, according to our previous work. 25 A recycling rate (RR), i.e., the ratio of the internally recycled gas flow rate to the inlet fed gas flow rate, of 14 allowed one to obtain a virtual residence time (VRT) of 2 min when starting from an empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 30 min.…”

“…The gas−liquid mass transfer coefficient was theoretically estimated based on the Frossling and Higbie equations, according to the procedure detailed in Amabile et al 25 Gas recycling was also incorporated into the system to recirculate a part of the gaseous streams leaving the reactors, as this configuration increases the performance of the system, according to our previous work. 25 A recycling rate (RR), i.e., the ratio of the internally recycled gas flow rate to the inlet fed gas flow rate, of 14 allowed one to obtain a virtual residence time (VRT) of 2 min when starting from an empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 30 min. The virtual residence time and the empty bed residence time are defined according to eqs 2 and 3, respectively…”

“…A simulation approach, which was previously proposed only for PHB and to investigate the effect of the reactor geometry and configuration, was applied in this study for the first time to the production of the enhanced poly­(3-hydroxybutyrate- co -hydroxyvalerate). Moreover, the impact of the variation of the main operational parameters (type of biomass, gas composition, and cosubstrate concentration), which were only tested individually in prior experimental works, was assessed using the best geometry/configuration derived from our previous work . In particular, the parameters mentioned above were analyzed to simulate and correlate their effects, aiming to identify the limits and the most proper conditions for the optimal process performance on a larger scale.…”

“…14 This study aims to comprehensively investigate the process for producing PHB-co-HV from methane and odd-chain carbon fatty acids (i.e., valeric acid). A simulation approach, which was previously proposed only for PHB 25 and to investigate the effect of the reactor geometry and configuration, was applied in this study for the first time to the production of the enhanced poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-cohydroxyvalerate). Moreover, the impact of the variation of the main operational parameters (type of biomass, gas composition, and cosubstrate concentration), which were only tested individually in prior experimental works, was assessed using the best geometry/configuration derived from our previous work.…”