A submerged-media biological aerated filter (BAF) has been studied to 1) evaluate oxygen transfer kinetics under conditions without biological growth and 2) determine the influence of biological growth on the rate of oxygen transfer. Collectively, the study evaluates the rates of supply and consumption of oxygen in BAFs. The mass-transfer characteristics of a submerged-media BAF were initially determined over a wide range of gas and liquid flow rates without the presence of bacteria. The mass-transfer coefficients (KLa(T)) were measured using a nitrogen gas stripping method and were found to increase as both gas and liquid superficial velocities increase, with values ranging from approximately 40 to 380 h??. The effect of parameters including the gas and liquid velocities, dirty water to clean water ratio, and temperature dependence was successfully correlated within +/- 20% of the experimental KLa value. The effects of the media size and gas holdup fractions were also investigated. Stagnant gas holdup did not significantly influence the rate of oxygen transfer. Dynamic gas holdup and the difference between total and stagnant gas holdup were found to increase with an increase in gas velocity. Neither liquid velocity nor liquid temperature was determined to have a significant impact on gas holdup. A tertiary nitrification BAF pilot unit was then operated for 5 months downstream of a secondary treatment unit at a domestic wastewater treatment facility. The study investigated the oxygen transfer capabilities of the nitrifying unit with high oxygen demand requirements through a series of aeration process tests and explored the presence of oxygen transfer enhancements by further analyzing the actual transfer mechanism limitations. It was determined that (assuming OTE equals 20 percent) aerating the BAF pilot unit based on the stoichiometric aeration demand resulted in overaeration of the unit, especially at lower pollutant loading rates. Endogenous respiration contributed to only 2 to 7 percent of the total oxygen demand with regions of biomass activity changing with varying loading conditions. An enhanced oxygen transfer factor was determined in the biologically active pilot. Although it cannot be definitively concluded that the observed oxygen transfer factor is either due to biological activity or not simply an artifact of measurement/analysis techniques, the enhancement factor can be mathematically accounted for by either an increase in the KLa factor or the associated driving force using a proposed enhanced bubble theory. / Master of Science

Achieving energy neutrality has shifted focus towards aeration systems optimization, due to the high energy consumption of aeration processes in modern advanced wastewater treatment plants. The activated sludge wastewater treatment process is dependent on aeration efficiency which supplies the oxygen needed in the treatment process. The process is a complex heterogeneous mixture of microorganisms, bacteria, particles, colloids, natural organic matter, polymers and cations with varying densities, shapes and sizes. These activated sludge parameters have different impacts on aeration efficiency defined by the OTE, % and alpha. Oxygen transfer efficiency (OTE) is the mass of oxygen transferred into the liquid from the mass of air or oxygen supplied, and is expressed as a percentage (%). OTE is the actual operating efficiency of an aeration system. The alpha Factor (α) is the ratio of standard oxygen transfer efficiency at process conditions (αSOTE) to standard oxygen transfer efficiency of clean water (SOTE). It is also referred to as the ratio of process water volumetric mass transfer coefficient to clean water volumetric mass transfer coefficient. The alpha factor accounts for wastewater contaminants (i.e. soap and detergent) which have an adverse effect on oxygen transfer efficiency. Understanding their different impacts and how different treatment technologies affect aeration efficiency will help to optimize and improve aeration efficiency so as to reduce plant operating costs. A pilot scale study of fine pore diffuser fouling and mitigation, quantified by dynamic wet pressure (DWP), oxygen transfer efficiency and alpha measurement were performed at Blue Plains, Washington DC. In the study a mechanical cleaning method, reverse flexing (RF), was used to treat two diffusers (RF1, RF2) to mitigate fouling, while two diffusers were kept as a control with no reverse flexing. A 45 % increase in DWP of the control diffuser after 17 month of operation was observed, an indication of fouling. RF treated diffusers (RF1 and RF2) did not show any significant increase in DWP, and in comparison to the control diffuser prevented a 35 % increase in DWP. Hence, the RF fouling mitigation technique potentially saved blower energy consumption by reducing the pressure burden on the air blower and the blower energy requirement. However, no significant impact of the RF fouling mitigation treatment technique in preventing a decrease in alpha-fouling (𝝰F) of the fine pore diffusers over time of operation was observed. This was because either the RF treatment method maintained wide pore openings after cleaning over time, or a dominant effect of other wastewater characteristics such as the surfactant concentration or particulate COD could have interfered with OTE. Further studies on the impact of wastewater characteristics (i.e., surfactants and particulate COD) and operating conditions on OTE and alpha were carried out in another series of pilot and batch scale tests. In this study, the influence of different wastewater matrices (treatment phases) on oxygen transfer efficiency (OTE) and alpha using full-scale studies at the Blue Plains Treatment Plant was investigated. A strong relationship between the wastewater matrices with oxygen transfer characteristics was established, and as expected increased alphas were observed for the cleanest wastewater matrices (i.e., with highest effluent quality). There was a 46 % increase in alpha as the total COD and surfactant concentrations decreased from 303 to 24 mgCOD/L and 12 to 0.3 mg/L measured as sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) in the nitrification/denitrification effluent with respect to the raw influent. The alpha improvement with respect to the decrease in COD and surfactant concentration suggested the impact of one or more of the wastewater characteristics on OTE and alpha. Batch testing conducted to characterize the mechanistic impact of the wastewater contaminants present in the different wastewater matrices found that the major contaminants influencing OTE and alpha were surfactants and particulate/colloidal material. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) measurements from the test also identified surfactant and colloidal COD as the major wastewater contaminants present in the influent and chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) effluent wastewaters impacting OTE and alpha. Soluble COD was observed to potentially improve OTE and alpha due to its contribution in enhancing the oxygen uptake rate (OUR). Although the indirect positive impact of OUR on alpha observed in this study contradicts some other studies, it shows the need for further investigation of OUR impacts on oxygen transfer. Importantly, the mechanistic characterization and quantitative correlation between wastewater contaminants and aeration efficiency found in this study will help to minimize overdesign with respect to aeration system specification, energy wastage, and hence the cost of operation. This study therefore shows new tools as well as the identification of critical factors impacting OTE and alpha in addition to diffuser fouling. Gas transfer depression caused by surfactants when they accumulate at the gas-liquid interface during the activated sludge wastewater treatment process reduces oxygen mass transfer rates, OTE and alpha which increases energy cost. In order to address the adverse effect of surfactants on OTE and alpha, another study was designed to evaluate 4 different wastewater secondary treatment strategies/technologies that enhances surfactant removal through enhanced biosorption and biodegradation, and to also determine their effect on oxygen transfer and alpha. A series of pilot and batch scale tests were conducted to compare and correlate surfactant removal efficiency and alpha for a) conventional high-rate activated sludge (HRAS), b) optimized HRAS with contactor-stabilization technology (HRAS-CS), c) optimized HRAS bioaugmented (Bioaug) with nitrification sludge (Nit S) and d) optimized bioaugmented HRAS with an anaerobic selector phase technology (An-S) reactor system configuration. The treatment technologies showed surfactant percentage removals of 37, 45, 61 and 87 %, and alphas of 0.37 ±0.01, 0.42 ±0.02, 0.44 ±0.01 and 0.60 ±0.02 for conventional HRAS, HRAS-CS, Bioaug and the An-S reactor system configuration, respectively. The optimized bioaugmented anaerobic selector phase technology showed the highest increased surfactant removal (135 %) through enhanced surfactant biosorption and biodegradation under anaerobic conditions, which also complemented the highest increased alpha (62 %) achieved when compared to the conventional HRAS. This study showed that the optimized bioaugmented anaerobic selector phase reactor system configuration is a promising technology or strategy to minimize the surfactant effects on alpha during the secondary aeration treatment stage / Ph. D.

Animal cells are often cultured in stirred tank reactors. Having no cell wall, these animal cells are very sensitive to the fluid mechanical stresses that result from agitation by the impeller and from the rising and bursting of bubbles, which are generated within the culture medium in the stirred tank to supply oxygen by mass transfer to the cells. If excessive, these fluid mechanical stresses can result in damage/death of animal cells. Stress due to the rising and bursting of bubbles can be avoided by using a gas-permeable membrane, in the form of a long coiled tube (with air passing through it) within the stirred tank, instead of air-bubbles to oxygenate the culture medium. Fluid mechanical stress due to impeller agitation can be controlled using appropriate impeller rotational speeds. The aim of this study was to lay the foundations for future work in which a correlation would be developed between cell damage/death and the fluid mechanical stresses that result from impeller agitation and bubbling. Such a correlation could be used to design stirred-tank reactors at any scale and to determine appropriate operating conditions that minimise cell damage/death due to fluid mechanical stresses. Firstly, a validated CFD model of a baffled tank stirred with a Rushton turbine was developed to allow fluid mechanical stresses due to impeller agitation to be estimated. In these simulations, special attention was paid to the turbulence energy dissipation rate, which has been closely linked to cell damage/death in the literature. Different turbulence models, including the k-ε, SST, SSG-RSM and the SAS-SST models, were investigated. All the turbulence models tested predicted the mean axial and tangential velocities reasonably well, but under-predicted the decay of mean radial velocity away from the impeller. The k-ε model predicted poorly the generation and dissipation of turbulence in the vicinity of the impeller. This contrasts with the SST model, which properly predicted the appearance of maxima in the turbulence kinetic energy and turbulence energy dissipation rate just off the impeller blades. Curvature correction improved the SST model by allowing a more accurate prediction of the magnitude and location of these maxima. However, neither the k-ε nor the SST models were able to properly capture the chaotic and three-dimensional nature of the trailing vortices that form downstream of the blades of the impeller. In this sense, the SAS-SST model produced more physical predictions. However,this model has some drawbacks for modelling stirred tanks, such as the large number of modelled revolutions required to obtain good statistical averaging for calculating turbulence quantities. Taking into consideration both accuracy and solution time, the SSG-RSM model was the least satisfactory model tested for predicting turbulent flow in a baffled stirred tank with a Rushton turbine. In the second part of the work, experiments to determine suitable oxygen transfer rates for culturing cells were carried out in a stirred tank oxygenated using either a sparger to bubble air through the culture medium or a gas-permeable membrane. Results showed that the oxygen transfer rates for both methods of oxygenation were always above the minimum oxygen requirements for culturing animal cells commonly produced in industry, although the oxygen transfer rate for air-bubbling was at-least 10 times higher compared with using a gas-permeable membrane. These results pave the way for future experiments, in which animal cells would be cultured in the stirred tank using bubbling and (separately) a gas-permeable membrane for oxygenation so that the effect of rising and bursting bubbles on cell damage/death rates can be quantified. The effect of impeller agitation on cell damage/death would be quantified by using the gas permeable membrane for oxygenation (to remove the detrimental effects of bubbling), and changing the impeller speed to observe the effect of agitation intensity. In the third and final part of this work, the turbulent flow in the stirred tank used in the oxygenation experiments was simulated using CFD. The SST turbulence model with curvature correction was used in these simulations, since it was found to be the most accurate model for predicting turbulence energy dissipation rate in a stirred tank. The predicted local maximum turbulence energy dissipation rate of 8.9x10¹ m2/s3 at a rotational speed of 900 rpm was found to be substantially less than the value of 1.98x10⁵ m2/s3 quoted in the literature as a critical value above which cell damage/death becomes significant. However, the critical value for the turbulence energy dissipation rate quoted in the literature was determined in a single-pass flow device, whereas animal cells in a stirred tank experience frequent exposure to high turbulence energy dissipation rates (in the vicinity of the impeller) due to circulation within the stirred tank and long culture times. Future cell-culturing experiments carried out in the stirred tank of this work would aim to determine a more appropriate critical value for the turbulence energy dissipation rate in a stirred tank, above which cell damage/death becomes a problem.

A presente proposta de estudo refere-se à identificação de modelo linear empírico para processo de transferência de oxigênio das bolhas de ar para o meio líquido, simulação para testes de controle e implementação de uma estratégia de controle em escala laboratorial em tempo real. Os ensaios de controle foram na unidade experimental (canal aberto) existente no laboratório de hidráulica ambiental o qual foi adaptado para aeração com sensores, atuadores, microcomputador, interface AD/DA. Foi testado o algoritmo de controle do tipo convencional PID (Proportional Integral Derivative control). Com os resultados obtidos da perturbação degrau na variável de entrada (alimentação do ar) foi possível identificar o sistema como um modelo de primeira ordem, suficiente para os propósitos de controle. Baseado na identificação, foi ajustado um controlador PID para implementação experimental. A principal contribuição desta pesquisa consistiu no emprego de uma estratégia de controle adequada na prática, ao processo de aeração. / The current study refers to the identification of an empirical linear model for the oxygen transfer process from air bubbles to liquid, control tests simulation and implementation of a control strategy at real time in laboratory scale. The control tests were carried out at the experimental unit (open channel) located at the environmental hydraulic laboratory which was adapted to aeration process with sensors, actuators, microcomputer, AD/DA interface. The classic PID (Proportional Integral Derivative control) algorithm was tested. With results from step response of input variable (air feeding) it was possible to identify the system as a first order model, enough for the control purposes. Based on the identification, a PID controller was adjusted for the experimental implementation. The main contribution of this work consisted of the employment of an appropriate control strategy to the aeration process in practice.

In this study, the effects of bioprocess design parameters on &amp / #946 / -lactamase production were systematically investigated using wild type Bacillus species. For this purpose, the research programme was carried out in mainly four parts. Initially, potential &amp / #946 / -lactamase producers were screened and Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 25972, a constitutive &amp / #946 / -lactamase producer, was selected. Next, the effects of bioprocess medium components, i.e., carbon sources (glucose, fructose, sucrose, citric acid and glycerol), inorganic nitrogen sources ((NH4)2HPO4 and NH4Cl) and organic nitrogen sources (yeast extract, peptone and casamino acids), were investigated in agitation and heating rate controlled laboratory scale bioreactors. Thereafter, by using the designed medium, the effects of bioprocess operation parameters, i.e., pH and temperature, on &amp / #946 / - lactamase activity were investigated in order to achieve a higher &amp / #946 / -lactamase production. Among the investigated bioprocess conditions, the highest &amp / #946 / - lactamase activity was obtained as 275 U cm-3, in the medium with 10.0 kg m-3 glucose, 1.2 kg m-3 (NH4)2HPO4, 8.0 kg m-3 yeast extract and the salt solution, at pH0=6.0, T=32&deg / C, N=200 min-1, which was 7.9 fold higher than the activity obtained in the reference medium. Finally, using the optimum bioprocess parameters obtained in laboratory scale experiments, the fermentation and oxygen transfer characteristics of the bioprocess were investigated in 3.0 dm3 pilot scale bioreactor, having temperature, pH, foam and stirring rate controls, at Q0/V=0.5 vvm and N=500 min-1 oxygen transfer conditions. The variations in &amp / #946 / - lactamase activity, cell, glucose, amino acid and organic acid concentrations with the cultivation time / the oxygen uptake rate and the liquid phase mass transfer coefficient values were determined. Throughout the bioprocess, overall oxygen transfer coefficient (KLa) varied between 0.008-0.016 s-1 / oxygen uptake rate varied between 0.001-0.003 mol m-3 s-1. Furthermore, rate limiting step analysis was performed / the yield and maintenance coefficients for the bioprocess as well as the kinetic parameters for &amp / #946 / -lactamase were determined.

In this study, agitation of solutions using different impeller and tank geometry were investigated experimentally in terms of hydrodynamics, macromixing time and aeration characteristics. In the first set of experiments a cylindrical vessel equipped with two types of hydrofoil and a hyperboloid impeller or their combinations were used. Vessel and impeller diameters and water level were 300, 100 and 300 mm, respectively. At the same specific power consumption, 163 W/m3, the so called hydrofoil 1 impeller provided the shortest mixing time at 7.8 s. At the top hydrofoil 1 impeller submergence of 100 mm, the hyperboloid impeller combination of it was the most efficient by a mixing time of 10.0 s at 163 W/m3. Ultrasound Doppler velocimetry and the lightsheet experiments showed that the hydrofoil 1, hydrofoil 2 impellers and the stated impeller combination provided a complete circulation all over the tank. Macromixing measurements were performed in square vessel for Generation 5 low and high rib and Generation 6 hyperboloid impellers. Vessel length, impeller diameters and water level were 900, 300 and 450 mm, respectively. At the same specific power consumption, 88.4 W/m3, Generation 6 mixer provided the lowest mixing time at 80.5 s. Aeration experiments were performed in square tank for Generation 5 low rib and Generation 6 hyperboloid impellers equipped with additional blades. With increasing flow number, the differences between the performances at different rotational speeds became smaller for each type of mixer. At similar conditions the transferred oxygen amount of Generation 6 impeller was about 20% better.

Recombinant Pichia pastoris is one of the important methylotropic yeast due to its robustness and ability to produce hormones like human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), luteinizing hormone (LH) extracellularly. High growth on glycerol and strong protein expression on methanol by insertion of alcohol oxidase (AOX) promoter demand the fermentation to be a multistage operation. Methylotropic pathway demands more oxygen as methanol has to be converted to formaldehyde with half mole of oxygen. Moreover as fermentation progresses cell density in the reactor also increases. In case of Pichia pastoris fermentation cell density usually reaches very high (above 100 gm/lit) at the end of fermentation. Both these contribute in the increased oxygen demand in the fermentation and oxygen transfer turns out to be a limiting step. The present study focuses on the oxygen transfer process and its improvement in the fermentation. Oxygen transfer in bioreactor is a multistep process and involves different kinetic as well as mass transfer steps. In case of fermentation especially at high cell densities, oxygen transfer from bubbles to the broth becomes limiting step. The interface transport is governed by many physical as well as kinetic parameters. It is essential to screen these parameters from the whole set to identify the key parameters. Sensitivity analysis is carried out by using Metabolic Control Analysis (MCA) to quantify the effects of different parameters. It is found that bubble size and oxygen partial pressure are two such key parameters which can be manipulated. Use of pure oxygen to increase partial pressure and thereby solubility of oxygen in broth is a common approach. This work focuses on bubble size manipulation to increase the oxygen transfer rates.The idea behind this work is on to generate micron sized bubbles and utilize them effectively in the fermentation. There are many techniques reported to generate microbubble dispersions. In this work ’Spinning Disc microbubble Generator’ is fabricated to generate microbubbles. A flat disc surrounded by baffles with 5 mm gap in between, when subjected to 5000 rpm generates microbubbles. Some modifications are done to the set up to achieve desired properties of the bubbles. The bubbles generated fall in the range of 30-300 micron with mean size of about 60 micron. Use of Tween-20 surfactant stabilize the bubbles and hence offer a good resistance to coalescence and breakage. The liquid fraction in the bubbles can be as high as 40%. Contineous addition of this dispersion unnecessarily can dilute the fermentation broth. To overcome this volume constrain, a recirculation system is designed. Microbubble dispersion is added contineously to the reactor and equivalent fermentation broth is pumped back to the microbubble generator to achieve steady state to the liquid volume in both the vessels. Mass transfer studies with microbubbles show the potential of microbubble dispersion (MBD) to enhance mass transfer significantly. Decrease in volumetric mass transfer coefficient (KLa) due to surfactant is overcompensated by the increase in the interfacial area and net effect is, potential enhancement in KLa. The enhance- ment factor, that is, ratio of mass transfer coefficient with MBD to mass transfer coefficient with conventional sparging, is obtained to be about 4 to 5. Prior to utilization of bubbles in the recirculation system, cells are checked for the shear sensitiveness. Negligible lysis losses and almost no effect on growth patterns in shake flask culture confirm that the cells used are mechanically stable at operating conditions. Better growth patterns in shake flask are observed when microbubbles are pumped for predetermined duration in the broth. It shows possible use of MBD as oxygen carriers. Glycerol batch phase with MBD and conventional sparging is studied at different initial cell densities. Conventional sparging fails to grow the cells and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) levels close to zero suggest high oxygen demands which can not be sustained by conventional sparging. The same batch is run using MBD. Reasonably good growth patterns are observed. DO levels are well above 70% for most of the time during operation. High oxygen demand which can not be sustained by conventional sparging alone can be sustained by MBD. In this way in high den- sity cultures utilization of MBD can be a good alternative to fulfill required oxygen demand in fermentation.

Orientadores: Nelci Fenalti Hoehr, Joyce Annichino-Bizzacchi / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-15T09:25:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Barnabe_Aline_M.pdf: 1630242 bytes, checksum: 701df85c63a84d513832abd45b2c810a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: A Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica (DPOC) é caracterizada por obstrução do fluxo aéreo que envolve um processo inflamatório crônico das vias aéreas e destruição do parênquima pulmonar induzidos pela bronquite crônica ou enfisema. Devido às anormalidades na troca gasosa que ocorre na DPOC, mudanças no pH podem alterar as concentrações de 2,3-difosfoglicerato (2,3-DPG), um fosfato orgânico presente nos eritrócitos e que exerce função importante no transporte de oxigênio. A baixa concentração de 2,3-DPG aumenta a afinidade do oxigênio à hemoglobina, dificultando sua liberação, comprometendo a oxigenação dos tecidos. Além disso, oxigenioterapia indicada para pacientes com DPOC pode levar a produção de espécies reativas de oxigênio (EROS) responsáveis pela injúria celular. Por outro lado, EROS também pode ser produzido por um aumento nos níveis de homocisteína no plasma e com isso causar lesão celular. Estudos sugerem que pacientes com DPOC podem apresentar aumento da homocisteína plasmática, um fator de risco para doenças cardiovasculares. Baseando-se nisso, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os níveis de 2,3-DPG e homocisteína em pacientes com DPOC. Nossos resultados mostraram que não houve diferença na concentração de 2,3-DPG entre pacientes e controles, pois a concentração desse fosfato foi semelhante em ambos os grupos. Nos pacientes com DPOC que fazem uso ou não de oxigenioterapia também não houve diferença nas concentrações de 2,3-DPG. Portanto, o transporte e distribuição de oxigênio não estavam prejudicados nesses pacientes. No entanto, os pacientes com DPOC apresentaram hiperhomocisteinemia leve e baixos níveis de ácido fólico. Esta observação sugere a necessidade de suplementação com ácido fólico para pacientes com DPOC. Os polimorfismos C677T e A1298C no gene da MTHFR não influenciaram as concentrações de homocisteína nos pacientes com DPOC. A contribuição de nossos dados é de grande importância para o monitoramento de pacientes com DPOC. / Abstract: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is characterized by chronic airflow obstruction that involves a chronic inflammation of the airways and destruction of lung parenchyma induced by chronic bronchitis or emphysema. Abnormalities in gas exchange that occurs in COPD leads to changes in pH altering 2,3-DPG levels, an organic phosphate present in red blood cells and play an important role in oxygen transport. Reduced levels of 2,3-DPG increase the oxygen affinity of hemoglobin and reduces oxygen delivery, compromising tissue oxygenation. On the other hand, oxygen therapy which is used in COPD patients induces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) responsible for cellular injury. ROS can be also produced by an excess of homocysteine in plasma. Studies suggest that COPD patients may have increased homocysteine, a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate 2,3-DPG and homocysteine levels in COPD patients. Our results showed no difference in the 2,3-DPG levels between patients and controls. In patients with COPD who use oxygen therapy or not there was no difference in the 2,3-DPG. Therefore, oxygen transport and unloading were not affected. Patients with COPD had mild hyperhomocysteinemia and low levels of folic acid. This observation suggests that dietary supplement of folate to COPD patients is necessary. C677T and A1298C polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene showed no influence on concentrations of homocysteine in COPD patients. Our data make an important contribution for the monitoring of COPD patients. / Mestrado / Ciencias Biomedicas / Mestre em Ciências Médicas

A presente proposta de estudo refere-se à identificação de modelo linear empírico para processo de transferência de oxigênio das bolhas de ar para o meio líquido, simulação para testes de controle e implementação de uma estratégia de controle em escala laboratorial em tempo real. Os ensaios de controle foram na unidade experimental (canal aberto) existente no laboratório de hidráulica ambiental o qual foi adaptado para aeração com sensores, atuadores, microcomputador, interface AD/DA. Foi testado o algoritmo de controle do tipo convencional PID (Proportional Integral Derivative control). Com os resultados obtidos da perturbação degrau na variável de entrada (alimentação do ar) foi possível identificar o sistema como um modelo de primeira ordem, suficiente para os propósitos de controle. Baseado na identificação, foi ajustado um controlador PID para implementação experimental. A principal contribuição desta pesquisa consistiu no emprego de uma estratégia de controle adequada na prática, ao processo de aeração. / The current study refers to the identification of an empirical linear model for the oxygen transfer process from air bubbles to liquid, control tests simulation and implementation of a control strategy at real time in laboratory scale. The control tests were carried out at the experimental unit (open channel) located at the environmental hydraulic laboratory which was adapted to aeration process with sensors, actuators, microcomputer, AD/DA interface. The classic PID (Proportional Integral Derivative control) algorithm was tested. With results from step response of input variable (air feeding) it was possible to identify the system as a first order model, enough for the control purposes. Based on the identification, a PID controller was adjusted for the experimental implementation. The main contribution of this work consisted of the employment of an appropriate control strategy to the aeration process in practice.

Dans le cadre de ce travail de thèse, la physiologie apparente de Streptomyces pristinaespiralis et plus spécifiquement la production de pristinamycines (déclenchement et concentration) a été reliée à son environnement hydrodynamique. Des cultures de S. pristinaespiralis ont été réalisées sous diverses conditions d'agitation et d'aération, en fioles lisses d’Erlenmeyer. Ces conditions engendrent des dissipations volumiques comprises entre 0,55 et 14 kW.m-3 et des kLa compris entre 30 et 490 h-1. Partant du constat de la complexité combinée de l’hydrodynamique rencontrée dans les bioréacteurs et de la réponse cellulaire, nous avons développé une approche pluridisciplinaire et multiéchelle à l’interface entre génie des procédés et physiologie quantitative. La réponse physiologique apparente a été quantifiée en termes de croissance, consommation des substrats, morphologie et production. L’hydrodynamique des fioles agitées a été notamment décrite par utilisation de la simulation numérique des écoulements. Par l’utilisation originale d’un modèle de rupture, les diamètres des pelotes ont été corrélés à l’échelle de dissipation de Kolmogorov. De plus, il a été montré que la dissipation défavorisait la croissance des pelotes. Ainsi, par le découplage de l’agitation et de l’aération, il a été montré que la taille des pelotes, contrôlée par la turbulence, impactait directement la consommation d’oxygène et la quantité de pristinamycines produites. Par ailleurs, le déclenchement de la production, résultante d’une limitation en substrats azotés et d’un apport en oxygène suffisant, est déterminé conjointement par la quantité du transfert d’oxygène et par la dissipation volumique / During this study, the physiology of Streptomyces pristinaespiralis and more specifically the production of pristinamycins (induction and concentration) were related to its hydrodynamic environment. Cultures of S. pristinaespiralis were performed under various conditions of agitation and aeration in non baffled Erlenmeyer flasks. According to the operating conditions, the volume power dissipation was from 0.55 to 14 kW.m-3 while kLa was from 30 to 490 h-1. Based on the observation of the complexity of both hydrodynamics encountered in bioreactors and of the cellular response, a multiscale and multidisciplinary approach between process engineering and quantitative physiology was developed. The apparent physiological response was quantified in terms of growth, substrates consumption, morphology and production. The hydrodynamics of the shake flasks was described using Computational Fluid Dynamics. Using an original break up model, the pellet diameters were correlated to the Kolmogorov dissipation scale. Moreover, it was shown that pellet growth was slowed down by the dissipation scale increase. Then, by decoupling the agitation and the aeration, it was shown that the pellets size, controlled by turbulence, impacted directly the consumption of oxygen and the concentration of pristinamycins. Furthermore, onset of pristinamycin production resulted in a limitation in nitrogen substrates as well as a sufficient oxygen supply which are determined by the oxygen transfer and the volume power dissipation