Mass transfer and uptake kinetics in flocculating and nonflocculating hydrocarbon fermentation

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:7061938

Kulkarni, K

The role of flocculation in microbial uptake of hydrocarbons was investigated in three fermentation systems of different flocculating characteristics. Growth kinetics in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida lipolytica, and Nocardia corollina was studied in shake flasks as well as in bench top batch fermentors under different operating conditions which included intentional addition of synthetic as well as microbial surfactants. The growth kinetics in hydrocarbon fermentation was found to be mass transfer controlled. Microorganisms were believed to utilize hydrocarbon in the form of submicron droplets. A microscopic study revealed some very interesting features of submicron droplet distribution in the broth. At high agitation rates their distribution was uniform throughout the broth. However, at low agitation rates their distribution was far from uniform and submicron droplets were found to be concentrated in the vicinity of flocs at cell-oil interface. Further at low agitation rates, unlike at high agitation rates, growth was not truly exponential and exhibited dramatic differences in growth characteristics in the above three microbial systems. These observations motivated the development of a model. The model facilitated identification of controlling parameters in a given system and suggested appropriate strategy for the optimization of hydrocarbon assimilation.

• Research Organization: Rhode Island Univ., Kingston (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7061938
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CANDIDA
GROWTH
HYDROCARBONS
FERMENTATION
NOCARDIA
PSEUDOMONAS
BATCH CULTURE
FLOCCULATION
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
UPTAKE
BACTERIA
BIOCONVERSION
FUNGI
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
PRECIPITATION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
YEASTS
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
550700 - Microbiology