BIO PROCESS ENGINEERING Question Papers (Supple, 2006)

SET: 1

1. Mention about the regulatory contraints of bioprocess.

2. What is asceptic operation and containment?

Describe a typical asceptic, aerobic fermentation process.

What is a sparger? Describe different spargers used in fermentors.

3. Sodium Bicorbonate is used as carbon source for the commercial production of a micro algae. A constant cell density is always maintained in the reactor by harvesting the cells daily. The growth rate is measured regularly and an average growth rate of 0.1 gm/lit (dry weight) is recorded daily. The total culture volume is 1100 litres. Sodium bicarbonate is the only carbon source and it is added daily. Assume that the cells are 50% carbon by weight. Calculate the quantity of sodium bicorbonate to be added daily if the conversion efficiency is assumed to be 90%.

4. What are the consequences if a foreign microorganism invade a fermentation process.

Explain the methods to avoid this contamination.

5. Determine the yield coefficients (Y_X/S & Y_X/O2) and total amount of oxygen required in a batch reactor of 10000 litres volume with the growth of yeast on glucose as per the equation given

C₆H₁₂O₆ + 3O₂ + 0.48NH₃ --------------- 0.48C₆H₁₀NO₃ + 4.32H₂O + 3.12CO₂

Final yeast concentration of 47gdw/lit is required.

6. Differentiate major function of the dark and light phases in photosynthesis.

7. Explain the following:

(a) Oxygen uptake rate

(b) Critical oxygen concentration

(c) Specific rate of oxygen consumption

8. Discuss in details the product kinetics associated with growth with appropriate examples.

SET: 2

1. Write notes on:

(a) Biosensors

(b) Biopesticides

2. Briefly explain about the material of construction for fermenter fabrication.

Explain different types of agitators used in fermentrors.

3. Explain use of water as an important constituent for fermentation.

Describe the use of buffers for media preperation in fermentation.

4. Describe the methods for sterilising fermentors.

Explain the methods of sterilising variety of additives administered during the process of fermentation.

5. Discuss the following in detail:

(a) Stoichiometrically limiting compounds

(b) Growth rate limiting medium.

6. Explain the synthesis of glucose from pyruvate

7. Explain the growt pattern and kinetics in batch culture.

8. Explain the following with respect to product formation

(a) Substrate inhibition

(b) Product inhibition.

SET: 3

1. Mention about the regulatory constraints of bioprocess (repeat)

2. What is meant by solid state fermantation? Explain the industrial application of solid state fermentation indicating the microorganisms, substrates and products.

3. Sodium Bicorbonate is used as carbon source for the commercial production of a micro algae. A constant cell density is always maintained in the reactor by harvesting the cells daily. The growth rate is measured regularly and an average growth rate of 0.1 gm/lit (dry weight) is recorded daily. The total culture volume is 1100 litres. Sodium bicarbonate is the only carbon source and it is added daily. Assume that the cells are 50% carbon by weight. Calculate the quantity of sodium bicorbonate to be added daily if the conversion efficiency is assumed to be 90%. (Repeat.(set 1 – Q3))

4. Explain the kinetics of medium sterilisation and obtain a mathemetical expression for specific death rate.

5. Describe the process of product formation with appropriate example.

Explain the maintenance coefficient with example.

6. Explain the thermodynamic efficiency of growth.

Differentiate respiration and fermentation

7. Enumerate the princle involved in microbial growth taking an example.

Defferentiate between the growth in batch and continuous systems.

8. Differentiate between competetive product inhibition and non competitive product inhibition.

Explain the product inhibition on product formation

SET: 4

1. What do you mean by fermentation and range of fermentation process?

2. What is meant by immobilisation of cells? What are the advantages of immobilised cell culture over suspension cell culture?

What is active immobilisation? Explain various matrices used for active immobilisation

Describe the methods employed for active cell immobilisation

3. Describe in detail the theory of oxygen requirement and supply in industrial fermentation

4. What are the important information required for the design of batch sterilisation process.

Define ‘Del factor’. Describe the calculation of del factor during haeating and cooling.

5. Determine the rate of oxygen consumption and yield coefficients if ate of growth at exponential phase is r_x = 0.7 gdw/l-h in a batch reactor of 5000 litres volume with the growth of yeast on glucose as per the equation given

C₆H₁₂O₆ + 3O₂ + 0.48NH₃ --------------- 0.48C₆H₁₀NO₃ + 4.32H₂O + 3.12CO₂

Final yeast concentration of 50 gdw/l is required.

6. Differentiate the heterotrophic and autotrophic metabolism emphasis on energetics.

7. Explain the procedure involved in the determinationof cell number density and cell mass concentration.

Give a short note on simple unstructure kinetic models for microbial growth

8. Give brief notes on structured models for growth and product formation with relevant examples.