Evaporative temperature and moisture control in solid substrate fermentation

Summary An integrated computerized control system, consisting of temperature and moisture sensors, a variable relative humidity air stream and water sprayers was used to control temperature and moisture in the solid substrate fermentation of extruded corn withRhizopus oligosporus in a 15 l rotary drum fermenter. Dry air was blown through the substrate to force evaporative cooling, balanced by spraying of cold water to maintain constant moisture.     

Operating characteristics of solid-state fermentation bioreactor with air pressure pulsation

The development of solid state fermentation (SSF) technology is very important to the production of cellulase and ultimately to the utilization of natural cellulose. However, inadequate dissipation of heat generated by biological activities has prevented solid state fermentation from large-scale applications. The paper deals with the development of a novel SSF bioreactor with air pressure pulsation. By developing a measurement and control system under Virtual Instrument (VI) concept, performance of SSF bioreactor with pressure pulsation was studied by cultivating Trichoderma koningii in solid medium made of wheat bran and corncob. The cooling effects of pressure pulsation on solid porous beds are discussed. Experimental results show that pressure pulsation enhances medium moisture evaporation, and hence, heat dissipation. Furthermore, through changing the pressure pulsation directions, it is able to mitigate the temperature gradients in the bioreactor. To sum up, pressure pulsation can provide the microbes with a growing environment at optimal temperature and medium water content.     

Effect of operating conditions on solid substrate fermentation

In this work the effects of environmental parameters on the performance of solid substrate fermentation (SSF) for protein production are studied. These parameters are (i) air flow rate, (ii) inlet air relative humidity, (iii) inlet air temperature, and (iv) the heat transfer coefficient between the outer wall of the fermentor and the air in the incubator. The air flow is supplied to effect cooling of the fermented mass by evaporation of water. A dynamic model is developed, which permits estimation of biomass content, total dry matter, moisture content, and temperature of the fermented matter. The model includes the effects of temperature and moisture content on both the maximum specific growth rate and the maximum attainable biomass content. The results of the simulation are compared with actual experimental data and show good agreement with them. The most important conclusions are that (i) the evaporative cooling of the biomass is very effective for temperature control and (ii) the air flow rate and the heat transfer coefficient have strong effects but they affect the biomass morphology and are not controllable easily. Also, a simple technique for the determination of the optimum temperature and moisture content profile for cell protein production is applied. The simulated biomass production increases considerably employing the optimum temperature and moisture content profiles. The ultimate goal is to implement the determined effects of the environmental parameters on the SSF biomass production and the temperature and moisture variation profiles to effectively control the SSF and optimize the biomass production. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Operating characteristics of solid-state fermentation bioreactor with air pressure pulsation

The development of solid state fermentation (SSF) technology is very important to the production of cellulase and ultimately to the utilization of natural cellulose. However, inadequate dissipation of heat generated by biological activities has prevented solid-state fermentation from large-scale applications. The paper deals with the development of a novel SSF bioreactor with air pressure pulsation. By developing a measurement and control system under the Virtual Instrument (VI) concept, the performance of the SSF bioreactor with pressure pulsation was studied by cultivating Trichoderma koningii in solid medium made of wheat bran and corncob. The cooling effects of pressure pulsation on solid porous beds are discussed. Experimental results show that pressure pulsation enhances medium moisture evaporation, and hence, heat dissipation. Furthermore, through changing the pressure pulsation directions, it is able to mitigate the temperature gradients in the bioreactor. To sum up, pressure pulsation can provide the microbes with a growing environment at optimal temperature and medium water content. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

祁连山中段林草交错带土壤水热特征及其对气象要素的响应

利用综合环境观测仪(ENVIS)的长期监测数据,分析了2002-06-01—2008-05-31期间祁连山阴坡林草交错带土壤水热特征及其与气象要素的统计关系,结果表明:1)土壤温度与空气温度年内变化格局相似,但存在滞后期,滞后时间随土壤深度增加而增加;土壤温度年际变化与气温一致,呈逐渐降低趋势。2)土壤水分表现为20—80 cm土壤水分易受外界降水过程影响,120 cm和160 cm深度土壤水分变化相对平缓;土壤水分季节性冻融过程中的主要控制因子为温度,但20—80 cm冻土的融化还受上层土壤水分融化和降雨下渗影响。3)月尺度上土壤水分和温度与气象要素的统计关系优于日尺度。利用气象要素在月尺度上建立的经验模型上对20—60 cm深度土壤温度的估算效果相对较好。     

Transport phenomena, reactor design and scale-up

This review will cover the area of impeller-mixed stirred-tank reactors. In addition, it will consider bubble columns, in which air or gas is passed up a liquid filled column through distribution plates covering the full area of the column, and also airlift reactors, in which the air is confined in a channel by means of a loop or draft tube designed to impart a certain type of overall circulatory pattern to the entire tank.There is considerable interest in the kinetics inside the solid part of various kinds of immobilized solid pellet type of enzymes and catalysts. The use of these particles in fixed bed reactors is also covered.     

A two-phase model for water and heat transfer within an intermittently-mixed solid-state fermentation bioreactor with forced aeration

A two-phase dynamic model is developed that describes heat and mass transfer in intermittently-mixed solid-state fermentation bioreactors. The model predicts that in the regions of the bed near the air inlet there can be significant differences in the air and solid temperatures, while in the remainder of the bed the gas and solid phases are much closer to equilibrium, although there can be differences in water activity of around 0.05. The increase in the temperature of the gas as it flows through the bed means that it is impossible to prevent the bed from drying out, even if saturated air is used at the air inlet. The substrate can dry to water activities that severely limit growth, unless the bed is intermittently mixed, with the addition of water to bring the water activity back to the desired value. Under the conditions assumed for the simulation, which was designed to mimic the growth of Aspergillus niger on corn, two mixing events were necessary, one at 17.4 and the other at 27.9 h. Even though such a strategy can minimize the restriction of growth by water-limitation, temperature-limitation remains a problem due to the rapid heating dynamics. The model is obviously a useful tool that can be used to guide scale-up and to test control strategies. Such a model, describing the non-equilibrium situation between the gas and solid phases, has not previously been proposed for solid-state fermentation bioreactors. Models in the literature that assume gas-solid temperature and moisture equilibrium cannot describe the large temperature differences between the gas and solid phase which occur within the bed near the air inlet.     

Mathematical modeling of an aqueous film coating process in a Bohle Lab-Coater: Part 2: Application of the model

For the prediction of the air and product temperatures, the product moisture, and the air humidity during a coating process in a Bohle Lab-Coater, a model was developed. The purpose of this work was to determine the limit moisture, the critical moisture, and the constant for the exchange rate between both zones and to use these values for other sets of experiments to test the model. The adaptation of the 3 parameters (limit moisture, critical moisture, and exchange rate constant), was done by calculation of the product temperature in both zones for several sets of parameters in order to minimize the sum of square deviation between the calculated and the measured product temperatures. This set of parameters was used to test the validity of the model. By applying the model, the product temperature could be predicted based on the product, process, and equipment-related parameters. Hence, the model can be used to theoretically investigate the influence of different process paramaters. The mean difference between the predicted, and measured product temperatures in the steady state is ≈2 up to 3 K using the determined parameter set for the limit moisture, the critical moisture, and the exchange rate constant. The model is useful for the prediction of the air and product temperatures, the product moisture, and air humidity during a coating process in the Bohle Lab-Coater using round, biconvex tablets.     

Determination of aeration rate and kinetics of composting some agricultural wastes

This study aimed to determine the aeration rate and its kinetics in aerobic composting of agricultural wastes. For this aim compost materials were prepared by mixing grass trimmings, tomato, pepper, and eggplant wastes. Four vertical forced aeration type reactors and one vertical natural convection type reactor were manufactured to apply four different aeration rates. CO2 rate and temperature changes were recorded in three different places in the reactors. Moisture content, pH and organic material rate were recorded each day. While process-monitoring parameters (CO2, temperature, pH, moisture content) were used for interpretation of the process, organic material degradation was used for interpretation of the process success. The seven different kinetic models were applied for modeling decomposition rate to the experimental values. According to the results, four of these models were found applicable to this study. These models were analyzed with some statistical methods as root mean square error (RMSE), chi-square (chi2), and modeling efficiency (EF). According to the statistical results of these models, the best model was found as: [Formula: see text] where kT is the rate of decomposition (g VS/g VS day); T the process temperature (degrees C); Mc the daily moisture content (%wb); C the daily CO2 rate in composting reactor (%) and a, b, c, d are constants. According to the results, the highest organic matter degradation and temperature value were obtained at the aeration rate of 0.4 l air min(-1)kg(om)(-1). Thus, it could be applied to this mixed materials composting process.     

固态发酵的参数周期变化及对微生物发酵的影响

研究了压力脉动固态发酵反应器内环境参数的周期性变化以及这些周期性的环境刺激对于固态培养的斜卧青霉发酵的影响。研究结果显示:在这种反应器中,在空气压力脉动的带动下,反应器内的温度和空气湿度也会发生较大幅度的周期性变化,变化的周期和空气压力脉动的周期相同,变化的幅度随着压力脉动的幅度增大而增加;在外界周期刺激的条件下,较未加外界周期刺激斜卧青霉的生物量增加了104% ,二氧化碳的产生总量增加了229%和纤维素酶的产量增加了320 % ,数据显示外界周期刺激不仅增加了菌体的生物量同时增加了其代谢活性。     

Changes in microclimate induced by experimental warming and clipping in tallgrass prairie

In order to facilitate interpretation and comparison of warming effects on ecosystems across various habitats, it is imperative to quantify changes in microclimate induced by warming facilities. This paper reports observed changes in air temperature, soil temperature and soil‐moisture content under experimental warming and clipping in a tallgrass prairie in the Great Plains, USA. We used a factorial design with warming as the primary factor nested with clipping as the secondary factor. Infrared heater was used in order to simulate climatic warming and clipping to mimic mowing for hay or grazing. The warming treatment significantly increased daily mean and minimum air temperatures by 1.1 and 2.3 °C, respectively, but had no effect on daily maximum air temperature, resulting in reduced diurnal air‐temperature range. Infrared heaters substantially increased daily maximum (2.5 and 3.5 °C), mean (2.0 and 2.6 °C) and minimum (1.8 and 2.1 °C) soil temperatures in both the unclipped and clipped subplots. Clipping also significantly increased daily maximum (3.4 and 4.3 °C) and mean (0.6 and 1.2 °C) soil temperatures, but decreased daily minimum soil temperature (1.0 and 0.6 °C in the control and warmed plots, respectively). Daily maximum, mean and minimum soil temperatures in the clipped, warmed subplots were 6.8, 3.2 and 1.1 °C higher than those in the unclipped, control subplots. Infrared heaters caused a reduction of 11.0% in soil moisture in the clipped subplots, but not in the unclipped subplots. Clipping reduced soil‐moisture content by 17.7 and 22.7% in the control and warmed plots, respectively. Experimental warming and clipping interacted to exacerbate soil‐moisture loss (26.7%). Overall, infrared heaters simulated climate warming well by enhancing downward infrared radiation and by reducing the diurnal air‐temperature range.     

Denitrification characteristics of reject water in upflow biofiltration

Two types of bench-scale experiments using upflow biofilm reactors packed with granular floating polystyrene (GFP) or polyurethane foam cubes (PFC), were used to investigate the denitrification of reject water. A high denitrification rate was achieved in both upflow biofilm reactors since the highly concentrated volatile fatty acids in reject water served as effective hydrogen donors for denitrification. Of the two biofiltrations, the denitrification rate using GFP was 3.5 kg⁻¹ N m⁻³ per day, and higher than that using PFC. The amount of total attached biomass and solid capture capacity were also greater in GFP than in PFC. Moreover, the backwashing of the GFP packed column was optimized with air and water agitation. Of the processes investigated in this study, upflow biofiltration using GFP was the most acceptable process for reject water treatment based on treatability and operation.     

Biodrying for mechanical–biological treatment of wastes: A review of process science and engineering

Biodrying is a variation of aerobic decomposition, used within mechanical–biological treatment (MBT) plants to dry and partially stabilise residual municipal waste. Biodrying MBT plants can produce a high quality solid recovered fuel (SRF), high in biomass content. Here, process objectives, operating principles, reactor designs, parameters for process monitoring and control, and their effect on biodried output quality are critically examined. Within the biodrying reactors, waste is dried by air convection, the necessary heat provided by exothermic decomposition of the readily decomposable waste fraction. Biodrying is distinct from composting in attempting to dry and preserve most of biomass content of the waste matrix, rather than fully stabilise it. Commercial process cycles are completed within 7–15 days, with mostly H₂O_(g) and CO₂ loses of ca. 25–30% w/w, leading to moisture contents of <20% w/w. High airflow rate and dehumidifying of re-circulated process air provides for effective drying. We anticipate this review will be of value to MBT process operators, regulators and end-users of SRF.     

Culture method to study fungal growth in solid fermentation

Summary A new culture method is described to study the growth of Aspergillus niger on cassava meal in the solid state. This method uses preparations of the cooked starchy substrate as a homogeneous granulated product containing spores, salts and water. An incubation device aerates the mass with humidified air at a controlled temperature. Homogeneous development of mycelia, without sporulation, occurred in the substrate mass. From physiological studies, optimal conditions for A. niger growth on cassava in the solid state were 50–55% moisture, 35°C, a nitrogen source comprising 60% ammonium and 40% urea (on a nitrogen basis) and 2×10⁷ spores/g of substrate. Growth kinetics were established and changes in pH, protein, carbohydrate and water content were determined during the incubation. Growth rate and yield were quite similar to those described in the literature for A. niger cultivated in liquid media under optimal conditions.     

Development of CO2 Protective Layers by Spray Pyrolysis for Ceramic Oxygen Transport Membranes

Ceramic mixed ionic–electronic conducting (MIEC) membranes enable very selective oxygen separation from air at high temperatures. Two major potential applications of oxygen‐transport membranes are: i) oxygen production for oxyfuel power plants, and, ii) integration within high‐temperature catalytic membrane reactors for methane or alkane upgrading by selective oxidative conversions. However, these applications involve contact with carbon‐bearing atmospheres and most state‐of‐the‐art highly permeable MIEC membranes do not tolerate operation under CO₂‐rich environments due to carbonation processes. The present contribution shows our first attempts in the development of ceria‐based protective thin layers on monolithic LSCF membranes. Gd‐doped ceria (CGO) deposition is carried out by air blast spray pyrolysis on mirror‐polished LSCF disc membranes. The layer thickness is maintained below 0.4 μm in order to prevent the formation of cracks during thermal cycling and minimize limitations caused by the reduced oxygen permeability through the ceria layer. After optimization of the spraying process, smooth crack‐free dense coatings are obtained with high crystallinity in the as‐deposited state. The layers are characterized by XRD, SEM, AFM, DC‐conductivity measurements, interferometry and optical microscopy. Oxygen separation is studied on coated LSCF using air as the feed and argon/CO₂ mixtures as the sweep gas in the temperature range 650–1000°C. The protected membrane exhibits a higher stability than the uncoated LSCF membrane, although the nominal oxygen flux is slightly reduced at temperatures below 850°C due to the limited ambipolar conductivity of doped ceria in the range of oxygen partial pressures investigated. Moreover, the protective layer (250 nm thickness) remains stable after the permeation testing.     

干湿交替格局下黄土高原小麦田土壤呼吸的温湿度模型

全球气候变化的直接后果是气温升高,同时还可能引起强降雨增多和干旱频发,形成干湿交替的格局.土壤呼吸在全球变化过程中发挥着重要作用.以黄土高原沟壑区小麦田土壤为研究对象,采用3个全自动多通量箱以及相应的气象监测系统,对土壤呼吸和环境因子全天候连续测定,利用已有的单因子模型、双因子模型对测定的土壤呼吸与气温和湿度的关系进行了拟合,通过优化,根据实际情况提出E-Q(exponential-quadratic)模型.结果表明:(1)干湿交替格局下,基于气温的单因子模型(指数模型,幂函数模型和线性模型)不适合模拟土壤呼吸;(2)基于土壤湿度的单因子模型中,二次曲线模型最适合模拟干湿交替格局下土壤呼吸的响应情况;(3)基于气温和土壤湿度的双因子模型中,E-Q模型SR=aebT(c+dW+fW2)g,既能反映土壤呼吸随气温的正向指数变化,又能表现土壤湿度对土壤呼吸的双向调节作用,解释了土壤呼吸73.05%的变化情况,比其他双因子模型和单因子模型更能有效描述干湿交替情况下土壤呼吸对气温和土壤湿度协同变化的响应特征.     

Field and Microcosm Studies of Decomposition and Soil Biota in a Cold Desert Soil

In the extreme cold desert soil of the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, we studied the effects of changing moisture and temperature on rates of decomposition and the activity and abundance of soil organisms. Our objective was to understand how moisture and temperature structure invertebrate communities and control important ecosystem processes and soil biotic activity in this extreme environment. First, in a field experiment, we manipulated soil moisture and temperature and compared cotton strip decomposition rates at two dry valley sites with different moisture regimes. At both sites, live nematode abundance and activity were unchanged by soil treatments over the 2-year study. In the same plots, the cotton strips did not decompose, despite soil warming and the addition of moisture. The results suggest that biological activity in the McMurdo Dry Valleys is severely limited and that soil organisms are not responsive to improving environmental conditions. Second, in microcosms, we manipulated dry valley soil moisture at a constant temperature of 10°C and measured the rates of key soil processes. Soil respiration, nitrification, and the decomposition of cotton strips were all greater in dry valley soils that were wetted to 10% moisture content, as compared to soils at 0.6%. These results indicate that the decomposition potential for dry valley soils is high when moisture and temperature limitations are removed. In the field, however, this process was extremely slow, and biota did not respond to improving environmental conditions. Soil processes appear to be limited primarily by the extreme desiccation of the dry valleys. Ecosystems processes are likely restricted to the brief periods following infrequent snowfall, melt, and soil wetting that permit the activity of soil microbes and biota. Received 23 May 2001; Accepted 7 September 2001.     

Production of the antifungal peptide antibiotic,iturin by Bacillus subtilis NB22 in solid state fermentation

Production of iturin, an antifungal peptide effective at suppressing phytopathogens, by Bacillus subtilis NB22 was investigated in solid state fermentation (SSF) using soy bean curd residue (okara). In scale-up from 15 g to 3 kg, aeration, temperature, and moisture content were controlling factors for the efficient production of iturin. It was found that solid state fermentation was 6–8 times more efficient with respect to iturin productivity than submerged fermentation on the basis of unit wet weight. Higher productivity in selective production of specific components of iturin which are stronger inhibitors of plant pathogens was also confirmed in SSF.     

风速对蒙古栎阔叶床层失水过程的影响

研究蒙古栎阔叶床层在近似恒温湿条件下不同风速时的失水过程,分析了风速对床层失水系数的影响.结果表明: 风速对蒙古栎阔叶床层失水过程的影响与可燃物含水率有关.从较高含水率(>75%)到近平衡含水率的多个失水过程可划分为3个阶段:有风失水速率大于无风失水速率的初始阶段、有风失水速率小于无风失水速率的中间阶段、不同风速失水速率相近的结束阶段.风速的影响随床层含水率降低而下降.蒙古栎阔叶床层的失水系数受风速、密实度和两者交互作用的影响,其中,失水系数随风速以三次多项式近似单调增加.     

Conversion of cellulose into fungal cell mass in solid state culture

Summary To satisfy the demand for simple production technology (simple and cheap reactor, cheap recovery and finishing), solid state cultivations were carried out with pretreated straw in a simple fixed bed reactor under nonsterile conditions.The results of these investigations were compared with those evaluated in a stirred tank reactor. The same cell mass fractions were obtained in both reactors. However, about double the cultivation time is necessary for a solid state cultivation as compared to a submerse cultivation.Symbols N₂ nitrogen content of dry biomass (%) - P productivity on cell protein (%/h) - T temperature (°C) - t_F cultivation time (h) - X fungal cell mass fraction (%)