Chemical Engineering

ROBERTO LAVECCHIA

At the end of the course, students should be able to: (i) write down and solve the equations describing the kinetoc behaviour of a bioreactor containing enzymes or microorganisms; (ii) evaluate the information required for modelling such devices; (iii) plan the experimental work for estimating the parameters associated with the growth, substrate consumption and oxygen demand of the microorganisms

Basic knowledge of general chemistry, chemical engineering themodynamics, chemical kinetics and transport phenomena
Fundamentals of differential and integral calculus

Fundamentals of cellular and molecular biology. Chemical and functional properties of amino acids and proteins. Nucleic acids and Recombinant DNA Technology.
Structure, properties and biological functions of enzymes. Molecular aspects of enzyme catalysis. Enzyme kinetics: phenomenological aspects and kinetic expressions. Michaelis-Menten equation. Effect of pH and temperature. Reversible and irreversible thermal denaturation. Competitive and non-competitive inhibition. Estimation of kinetic parameters. Bioreactors containing free or immobilized enzymes.
Microorganisms of biotechnological relevance. Phenomenological aspects of microbial growth. Growth media, nutrients and substrates. Monod equation. Effect of pH, temperature and effectors on microbial growth. Substrate consumption associated with energy and biomass production. Yield factors and maintenance coefficient. Endogenous metabolism.
Analysis of the kinetic behaviour of continuos, semicontinuous and batch bioreactors. Dilution rate and wash-out. Recirculating systems. Effect of the presence of interacting microbial populations. Cellular respiration. Oxygen demand and oxygen transfer in bioreactors. Estimation of mass-transfer coefficients.
Mixing of fluids containing microbial cells. Turbulence effects on free and aggregated cells.

Stryer L., Biochimica, Zanichelli, Bologna, 1996
Ratledge C., Kristiansen B., Biotecnologie di base, Zanichelli, Bologna, 2004
Bailey J.E., Ollis D.F., Biochemical Engineering Fundamentals, Mc-Graw Hill, New York, 1986
Lecture notes provided by the teacher

Teaching will take place in the classroom and will consist of lessons also conducted through PowerPoint presentations and seminars held by professionals and teachers in the biotechnology sector

The course does not require compulsory attendance, although it is strongly recommended

The assessment includes an oral test aimed at assessing the degree of preparation acquired by the student on the topics presented in the course as well as the methodological approach to face problems or situations that are relevant to the development of biochemical processes or technologies related to biochemical engineering

- Inter- and intra-molecular interactions in proteins and effect on their stability
- Models for the analysis of temperature effects on the kinetics of enzyme reactions
- Characteristics and use limitations of batch reactors in cell growth processes
- Effect of dilution rate on the kinetic behavior of a continuous reactor for biomass growth
- Analysis and modeling of oxygen transfer in well-mixed reactors
- Evaluation of mixing effectiveness and cell damage in mechanically stirred reactors