Modeling of Continuous Gluconic Acid Production by Fermentation

The batch fermentation kinetic of gluconic acid production has been studied. The continuousfermentation process of glucose by Aspergillus niger to produce gluconic acid under the influence ofinlet substrate concentration and hydraulic retention time has also been investigated. The fermentationwas modeled to be carried out in a continuous stirred tank reactor. The results showed that at thestudied inlet glucose concentration of 150, 200, and 250 g/l, the hydraulic retention time resulted inthe increasing amount of cell and gluconic acid concentration but decreasing glucose concentration atthe outlet stream of the reactor. The model results also suggested that the possible range of hydraulicretention time for the inlet substrate concentration of 150, 200, and 250 g/l were 3-13, 8-12, and 7-11h, respectively. Therefore the recommended values of hydraulic retention time were 13, 12 and 11 hfor the inlet substrate concentration of 150, 200, and 250 g/l, respectively.