C. Ethanol fermentation

Overview:
In this project, you will study ethanol fermentation.

The paper studies the effect of temperature on the kinetic parameters (e.g. growth rate, production rate, and cell death rate) of ethanol fermentation. It includes a mathematical model for the dynamic of cells, ethanol concentration, and substrate concentration. 

 

Paper:
Phisalaphong, M., Srirattana, N. and Tanthapanichakoon, W., 2006. Mathematical modeling to investigate temperature effect on kinetic parameters of ethanol fermentation. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 28(1), pp.36-43.

 

Assignment:
It is up to you to decide what you want to study based on what you find interesting. Following are some suggestions for things to study/discuss:

  • Is it possible to control the system?
    • What would be the control signal, output, disturbances, and so on?
    • Can there be different control signals (MIMO system)?
    • Suggest a control design for control of the system. 
  • Simulation
    • Simulate the system (Simulink or Matlab)
    • Create a program that lets the user change parameters of the system and see how that affects the system.
    • Simulate the system with your suggested controller.
  • Continuous process
    • In the article they have studied a batch process, can the mathematical model be adapted to a continuous process? How would that model look?
  • Linearization of system.
    • Does the linearized model behave as the real model?
    • Is it possible/reasonable to design control based on the linear model?
  • Can you do assumptions to make the model simpler, is the simpler model still reasonable? 
  • Limitations of the model?
  • Stability of system?

 

Communication:
Frida has two accounts in this course. Make sure to send canvas messages to both since she mainly uses one of them and easily misses messages sent to the other.

There are scheduled sessions on zoom where a group can discuss their questions with Frida, you can book a time here.