Biochemical Engineering
Code: 102407 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2500897 Chemical Engineering | OT | 4 | 0 |
Contact
- Name:
- José Luis Montesinos Seguí
- Email:
- JoseLuis.Montesinos@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Prerequisites
It is recoomended to have reached the basic knowledge on: Biology and General Biochemistry, Reactors, Computer Applications and/or Simulation of Chemical Processes.
Objectives and Contextualisation
To relate and apply known concepts and methods in different subjects (from biology and biochemistry to the fundamental principles of chemical engineering) in the analysis and design of bioprocesses: how, when and where to apply the knowledge acquired. For this, basic knowledge must be achieved, know how to apply it and solve problems on different relevant aspects i bioindustrial processes, such as mass and energy balances, transport phenomena, design and proper use of a bioreactor according to its application, as well as the interaction between kinetics and operational mode. Finally, it is necessary to know how to correctly describe and design the variety of separation processes at different scales in the field of bioprocesses.
Competences
- Analyse, evaluate, design and operate the systems or processes, equipment and installations used in chemical engineering in accordance with certain requirements, standards and specifications following the principles of sustainable development.
- Apply relevant knowledge of the basic sciences, such as mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology, and the principles of economics, biochemistry, statistics and material science, to comprehend, describe and resolve typical chemical engineering problems.
- Communication
- Demonstrate knowledge of the different reaction, separation and processing operations for materials, and transport and circulation of fluids involved in the industrial processes of chemical engineering.
- Develop personal attitude.
- Develop personal work habits.
- Develop thinking habits.
- Understand and apply the basic principles on which chemical engineering is founded, and more precisely: balances of matter, energy and thermodynamic momentum, phase equilibrium and kinetic chemical equilibrium of the physical processes of matter, energy and momentum transfer, and kinetics of chemical reactions
Learning Outcomes
- Communicate efficiently, orally and in writing, knowledge, results and skills, both professionally and to non-expert audiences.
- Correctly describe the diversity of separation processes on different scales.
- Describe the bases of the integrated design of bioprocesses and particularly how different unitary operations of a bioprocess interact and the different stages of the development of the same (from the discovery of basic knowledge to the development of applications and marketing them).
- Describe the interaction between kinetics and bioreactor operation mode.
- Develop a capacity for analysis, synthesis and prospection.
- Develop critical thinking and reasoning
- Develop curiosity and creativity.
- Develop scientific thinking.
- Explain, apply and resolve problems regarding matter and energy balance in bioindustrial processes.
- Identify and apply immobilisation systems and their operation modes.
- Properly describe the units, variables and characteristics of transport phenomena.
- Propose the suitable design for a bioreactor and its application.
- Resolve different problems of relevance to bioindustrial processes.
- Work autonomously.
Content
TOPIC 1.- BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND BIOTECNOLOGY
1.1. Introduction to Biotechnological Processes. Involved sectors
1.2. Biochemical Engineering
1.3. Applications of enzymes, microorganisms and cells. New products
1.4. Fermentation
TOPIC 2.- ENZYMES. KINETICS AND APPLICATION
2.1. Introduction to enzymatic catalysis
2.2. Classification of enzymes
2.3. Enzyme kinetics
2.3.1. Enzymatic reactions with one substrate
2.3.2. Michaelis-Menten equation
2.3.3. Determination of kinetic parameters
2.3.4. Enzymatic reactions with inhibition
2.3.5. Factors that influence activity and enzymatic stability
2.4. Use and application of enzymes
TOPIC 3.- CELULAR GROWTH
3.1. Phases of cell culture
3.2. Growth kinetics. Models
3.3. Effects of culture conditions in growth kinetics
3.4. Determination of cell density
3.5. Culture media and cell composition
TOPIC 4.- MASS AND ENERGY BALANCES
4.1. Cell growth, substrate uptake and product formation
4.2. Stoichiometry of the system
4.3. Yields
4.4. Mass and energy balances
4.4.1. Substrate as energy source. Intrinsic yield and maintenance coefficient
4.4.2. Elemental balances
4.4.3. Redox balance. Degree of reduction
TOPIC 5.- IMMOBILIZED BIOCATALYSTS
5.1. General concepts
5.1.1. Immobilization methods
5.1.2. Adsorption
5.1.3. Covalent chain
5.1.4. Cross-linking
5.1.5. Entrapment
5.1.6. Membranes
5.2. Selection of immobilization method
5.3. Kinetics of immobilized biocatalysts
5.3.1. External mass transfer
5.3.2. Internal mass transfer
5.4. Application of immobilized biocatalysts
TOPIC 6.- DESIGN OF IDEAL BIOREACTORS
6.1. Cell reactors
6.1.1. Batch reactor
6.1.2. Fed-batch reactor
6.1.3. CSTR
6.1.4. CSTR’s in Series
6.1.5. CSTR with Recirculation
6.1.6. PFR
6.2. Enzyme reactors
6.2.1. Batch reactor
6.2.2. CSTR
6.2.3. PFR
TOPIC 7.- AERATION
7.1. Oxygen transfer rate (OTR)
7.2. Factors that influence the oxygen transfer rate
7.3. Oxygen uptake rate (OUR)
7.4. Experimental determination of kLa coefficient
7.4.1. Indirect methods
7.4.2. Direct methods
TOPIC 8.- AGITATION
8.1. Fermentation-broth rheology
8.2. Factors and effects of shear stress
8.3. Design of agitation systems
8.3.1. Type of Agitators
8.3.2. Agitator power requirements
8.4. Estimation of kLa coefficient in aerated systems
TOPIC 9.- STERILIZATION
9.1. Introduction and objectives
9.2. Physical methods of sterilization
9.2.1. Thermal treatments
9.2.2. Sterilization of gases
9.3. Chemical treatments
9.4. Other methods for microorganism control
TOPIC 10.- BIOREACTOR CONFIGURATION AND OPERATION
10.1. Configuration and elements of the different type of bioreactor
10.2. Bioreactor operation. Instrumentation and control
10.2.1. Fermenters
10.2.2. Cell culture
10.3. Scale-up
10.3.1. Theory of similarity
10.3.2. Most commonly applied methods
TOPIC 11.- SEPARATION AND RECOVERY OF PRODUCTS
11.1. Introduction to downstream processing in bioprocesses
11.2. Separation sequence
11.3. Separation of insoluble products
11.4. Cell disruption
11.5. Separation of soluble products
11.6. Examples in different bioprocesses
Methodology
The teaching methodology and the proposed evaluation may be modified depending on the restrictions applied by health authorities to the presentiality.
Teaching strategies: Expository lectures/Answers to questions. Seminars. Tutorials in group and individual. Problem solving in the classroom and proposals to the student.
Lectures and workshops: Students receive a set of, on one hand, theoretical concepts, and on the other hand practical skills for solving examples or easy problems. This learning will provide the basics for understanding the course and problem solving. In the workshop sessions the students will practice the concepts and skills acquired during the lectures. Small groups will easy the participation of the students in the problem solving process.
Specific Seminars: In these sessions the students will receive more practical and specific concepts acquired during the lectures. Presentation of case-studies are emphasized, promoting the participation of the students in the discussion of concepts and alternatives.
Communication environments: Virtual Forum. e-mail. Materials for study and documentation. Structured material: dossiers, exercises, etc ... Bibliography and other complementary materials on-line. Other teaching resources: Optional Specific software with teaching purposes.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Class practices (Problem solving) | 15 | 0.6 | 1, 2, 11, 4, 3, 8, 5, 7, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 |
| Expository lectures | 30 | 1.2 | 1, 2, 11, 4, 3, 8, 5, 7, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 |
| Seminars | 5 | 0.2 | 2, 4, 3, 8, 5, 7, 6, 12, 13 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Furhter tutorials | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 2, 11, 4, 3, 8, 5, 7, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Problem solving | 50 | 2 | 1, 2, 11, 4, 3, 5, 7, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 |
| Study | 40 | 1.6 | 1, 2, 11, 4, 3, 5, 7, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 |
| Tutorials with professor | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 2, 11, 4, 3, 8, 5, 7, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 |
Assessment
The teaching methodology and the proposed evaluation may be modified depending on the restrictions applied by health authorities to the presentiality.
Continuous evaluation
The continuous evaluation will be made considering a series of tests and activities:
- Delivery and presentation of problems, activities and exercises (PAE):30% of the final course mark.
- 1st partial test (PP1) (topics 1 to 5): 10 % of the final course mark.
- 2nd partial test (PP2) (topics 6 to 10): 10 % of the final course mark.
- Synthesis test (PS) (topics 1 to 11): 50 % of the final course mark.
The synthesis test will consist of theoretical questions (30%) and problem solving (70%). A minimum score of 40/100 is required in this test to be able to pass the course through continuous evaluation. The presentation to the synthesis test (PS) is mandatory to be able to make the final or recovery test (PR) in case of not passing the continuous evaluation.
The student can do the recovery test as long as it has been previously evaluated with a fraction of the activities and tests of at least 2/3 of the final mark. It will be considered Not Gradable (NA) if it has not been evaluated with a fraction of at least 2/3 parts. In addition, in order to be able to take part in the recovery, they must have a score higher than 30/100 as the average of all the activities and tests of the course.
Final test
The students who have been evaluated in a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade of the course and have not passed the continuous evaluation will be able to do this final test of recovery (PR 70%). Therefore, the presentation to the synthesis test (PS) of the continuous evaluation is mandatory to be able to make this final test of recovery. The required minimum score of the continuousevaluation is 30/100 in order to be able to do the final test.
The final test will cover all the content of the course and will consist of theoretical questions (30%) and problem solving (70%). A minimum score of 40/100 is required in this test to be able to pass the course by considering all the PAE (30%) carried out in the continuous evaluation.
In case of not presenting to the final test without having passed the continuous evaluation, the final qualification of the course will be Not Gradable (NA).
Second registration or more
From the second registration, the student could choose between new continuous evaluation or a synthesis test that will be the same test (equal date and time) as the synthesis test (PS) for the students of first registration. Thus, the qualification of the course will correspond either to the continuous evaluation or just the mark of this test, replacing the continuous evaluation for all purposes. They could also do a final recovery test that will be the same test (equal date and time) as the recovery test (PR) for the students of first registration).
For the review of the results of the evaluations, the time and manner will be established within the 10 working days following its communication through the virtual platform.
Granting a qualification of “matrícula de honor” (MH), apart from the minimum mark that can give access (≥ 9.00), is the decision of the faculty responsible for the course that will take into account the proactivity towards the subject, the understanding of the fundamentals and their relationship with other subjects and the fluency, reliability, expression and rational thinking. Special attention will be paid to the theoretical part of the synthesis and final tests.
Beside other disciplinary measures deemed appropriate, and in accordance with current academic regulations, will be qualified witha “zero” the irregularities committed by the student that may lead to a variation of the qualification of an act of evaluation. Therefore, copying or allowing to copy a practice or any other evaluation activity will involve not passing it with a zero, and if it is necessary to pass it to pass the course, the whole course will qualified without passing. The evaluation activities qualified in this way and by this procedure will not be recoverable, and therefore the student will not pass the course directly without the opportunity to recover it in the same academic year.
The time-schedule of the evaluation and delivery of work activities will be published in the corresponding virtual platform (Moodle) and may be subject to possible programming changes for reasons of adaptation to possible incidents. Always be informed in the corresponding virtual Platform about these changes, since it is understood that this is the usual platform for exchange of information between teachers and students.
In no case will exams be held on dates and times different from those officially published by the Grade Coordination/ School of Engineering.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery and presentation of problems, activities and exercises | 30 % | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 11, 4, 3, 8, 5, 7, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 |
| Partial tests | 20 % | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 2, 11, 4, 3, 8, 5, 7, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 |
| Synthesis test | 50 % | 4 | 0.16 | 1, 2, 11, 4, 3, 8, 5, 7, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 |
Bibliography
Blanch, H.W., Clark, D.S. Biochemical Engineering. Marcel Dekker. (1997).
Doran, P.M. Bioprocess Engineering Principles, 2nd ed. Academic Press. (2012).
El-Mansi, EMT, Bryce, C.F.A., Demain, A.L., Allman, A.R. Fermentation Microbiology and Biotechnology, 3rd ed. CRC Press. (2011).
Gòdia, F., López, J. Ingeniería Bioquímica. Síntesis. (1998).
Ratledge C., Kristiansen B. Basic Biotechnology, 3rd ed. Cambridge University Press. (2006).
Waites, M.J. et al. Industrial Microbiology: an Introduction. Blackwell. (2001).