Chemical engineering aspects of submerged production of citric acid

We determined the total mass balance of production of citric acid byAspergillus niger on the laboratory scale and derived a stoichiometric equation for optimum conditions. At the aeration intensity of 4.10^-3 m³/min, 2/3 of introduced carbon was found to be converted to citric acid. Other parameters were: rate of absorptionNa, 15 –17 mol^-3h^-1 and oxygen utilization equal to 42 % of sugar mass. The critical concentration of dissolved oxygen,i.e. 9.5 % of saturation level, was not exceeded.