New systematic methodology for incorporating dynamic heat transfer modelling in multi-phase biochemical reactors

Area of Science:

• Biochemical Engineering
• Chemical Thermodynamics
• Process Systems Engineering

Background:

• Accurate prediction of heat generation/consumption is crucial for optimizing biological reactor performance.
• Existing models often struggle to simultaneously address mass and energy balances dynamically.
• Understanding heat fluxes is essential for controlling biochemical processes and ensuring stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel modeling methodology for dynamic prediction of heat changes in biological reactors.
• To integrate mass balances and enthalpy changes within a unified, expandable matrix structure.
• To demonstrate the methodology's applicability in plant-wide dynamic modeling and analysis.

Main Methods:

• Application of Hess's law for calculating reaction enthalpy changes.
• Simultaneous calculation of mass balances and enthalpy changes.
• Implementation within an expandable multi-phase matrix structure for detailed heat flux prediction.
• Validation using literature data and case studies.

Main Results:

• Successful integration of mass and enthalpy calculations in a dynamic, multi-phase matrix.
• Demonstrated capability for plant-wide dynamic modeling of mass and heat transfer.
• Validation against literature data confirms the methodology's accuracy.
• Case studies illustrate application in predenitrification-nitrification and an aerobic thermophilic digestion (ATAD) process.

Conclusions:

• The proposed methodology provides a robust framework for dynamically predicting heat changes in biological reactors.
• It facilitates detailed analysis of heat fluxes and enables effective plant-wide dynamic modeling.
• The approach is versatile and can be readily integrated into various biochemical systems, including ATAD processes, for performance optimization.