Biochemical Engineering

Recommended Prerequisites

Introduction to Biological Processes, Mass and Energy Balances, Transport Phenomena I, II and III, Chemical Reactors I and II, English.

Teaching Methods

The active participation of students will be encouraged. In practical classes, laboratory work will be done, to make students gain practice and enjoy the activities of biocatalysis and operation with bioreactors (enzyme bioreactor and fermenter).

Learning Outcomes

- Distinguish when the advantages of the biological transformation overlap with the chemical transformation.

- Knowing the different settings of bioreactors and to know how to select the most appropriate one for each application, as well as the most convenient biocatalyst.

- Familiar with the methodologies to maximize the mixing, the aeration and the mass transfer in fermenters. Know strategies for scaling.

- Know the theory of simple and modified chemostat. To learn how to make mass balances for biomass and limiting substrate at different settings fermenters.

- Learn to define criteria of sterilization on an industrial scale and to know how to use agro-industrial residues as feedstock in fermentation technology.

- Know how to evaluate strategies for recovery and purification of bioproducts in biocatalysis and fermentation systems.

- Develop skills to solve new problems, work in interdisciplinary teams and decision-making.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

- Analysis of global production and separation processes of biological products.

- Mutual interdependencies and integration of different operations involved.

- Strategies of production: fermentation processes vs. biocatalysis vs. chemical catalysis.

- Fermentative processes: upstream operations, formulation and sterilization of broths, air sterilization, mass transfer, setting fermenters, increase scale.

- Continuous culture and use of agro-industrial residues rich in carbohydrates as raw material in the fermentation technology. Biorefinery concept.

- Procedures for solid / liquid separation - current technologies and emerging technologies. Cell disintegration, protein precipitation, chromatography, liquid - liquid extraction.

- Intensification of bioprocesses by immobilization of enzymes and cells. Applied biocatalysis. Biocatalysis in non-conventional media. New concepts of bioreactors.

Head Lecturer(s)

Jorge Manuel dos Santos Rocha

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Exam (70-100%); Synthesis work (0-30%); Fieldwork or laboratory work (0-20%): 100.0%

Bibliography

- Doran, P.M. Bioprocess Engineering Principles, Academic Press, 1995.

- Bailey, J. e Ollis, D. Biochemical Engineering Fundamentals, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill, 1986

- Riet K. e Tramper, J. Basic Bioreactor Design, Marcel Dekker, Inc., 1991

- Lima N. e Mota, M. Biotecnologia. Fundamentos e Aplicações, Lidel, edições técnicas, 2003

- Fonseca, M.M. e Teixeira, J.A. (coordenação), Reactores Biológicos – Fundamentos e Aplicações, Lidel, Edições Técnicas Lda, 2007

- Belter, P.A., Cussler E.L. e Hu, Wei-Shon, Bioseparations: downstream processing for biotechnology, John Wiley &Sons, Ltd, 1988

- Kennedy J.F. e Cabral J.M.S. (ed), Recovery processes for biological materials, John Wiley &Sons, Ltd, 1993

- Atkinson, B. & Mavituna, F., Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology Handbook, 2nd ed., Stockton Press, N.Y., 1991

- Stanbury, P.F. e Whitaker, A., Principles of Fermentation Technology, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1984