A mathematical model of microbial kinetics was introduced to predict the overall volumetric gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient (kLa) of carbon monoxide (CO) in a batch cultivation system. The cell concentration (X), acetate concentration (Cace), headspace gas (Nco and [Formula: see text] ), dissolved CO concentration in the fermentation medium (Cco), and mass transfer rate (R) were simulated using a variety of kLa values. The simulated results showed excellent agreement with the experimental data for a kLa of 13/hr. The Cco values decreased with increase in cultivation times, whereas the maximum mass transfer rate was achieved at the mid-log phase due to vigorous microbial CO consumption rate higher than R. The model suggested in this study may be applied to a variety of microbial systems involving gaseous substrates.
Keywords: Batch cultivation; Carbon monoxide; Eubacterium limosum KIST612; Gas–liquid mass transfer; Kinetic simulation.
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