A continuously operated 1000 liter CSTR is used for production of biomass from glucose provided by
the feed (feed rate of 100l/h and glucose concentration of 10 g/l). The bacteria show Monod type
growth with a maximal specific growth rate of 0.4/h and an affinity towards glucose of 1.5 g/l. The
biomass yield per substrate consumed is 0.5.
a) What is the specific and absolute production rate of biomass at steady-state condition?
b) At which critical dilution rate is wash out expected?
c) Now a biomass recycling system is included into the setup producing a five times higher cell
concentration than at the reactor outlet. What’s the impact on the specific biomass
production rate?