O reator anaeróbio em batelada seqüencial é constituído por um frasco de vidro cilíndrico de volume total de cinco litros, envolvido por uma camisa de vidro, por onde escoa a água aquecida, permitindo a operação em temperatura controlada. A biomassa encontra-se imobilizada em partículas cúbicas de espuma de poliuretano (densidade aparente de 23 kg/\'M POT.3\', as quais estão colocadas em um cesto adaptado dentro do frasco cilíndrico. A mistura é promovida por três impelidores de 3,0 cm de diâmetro, distanciados 4,0 cm um do outro, situados ao longo do eixo vertical no centro do reator. O desempenho dessa nova configuração de reator anaeróbio foi avaliado sob diferentes condições os efeitos de transferência de massa nas fases sólida e líquida. Todos os ensaios foram efetuados à temperatura de 30 ± 1 grau Celsius. Cada batelada compreende três etapas: alimentação, reação e descarga. Para avaliar os efeitos da transferência de massa na fase sólida foram feitos quatro ensaios utilizando-se partículas cúbicas de espumas de poliuretano com tamanhos de 0,5 cm; 1,0 cm; 2,0 cm e 3,0 cm de lado, com impelidor tipo hélice e intensidade de agitação de 500 rpm, determinada através de um ensaio preliminar. Para avaliar os efeitos da transferência de massa nas fases sólida e líquida foram feitos experimentos com quatro tipos de impelidores: hélice, turbina plana, turbina inclinada e turbina curva, com intensidades de agitação na faixa de 100 rpm a 1100 rpm. Também foram realizados ensaios hidrodinâmicos para verificar o tempo de mistura e ensaio para verificar a condição de anaerobiose no sistema. A água residuária utilizada em todos os ensaios foi sintética com concentração de 530 ± 37 mg DQO/L. Em todas as condições estudadas o reator apresentou boa eficiência de remoção da matéria orgânica, em torno de 87%. A concentração efluente de ácidos voláteis totais manteve-se em 13 ± 9 mg HAc/L, alcalinidade a bicarbonato de 223 ± 14 mg Ca\'CO IND.3\'/L e pH entre 6,7 e 7,2. A transferência de massa na fase sólida não foi a etapa limitante na conversão da matéria orgânica, quando partículas de 0,5 cm a 2,0 cm de aresta foram usadas no reator anaeróbio em batelada seqüencial. A resistência à transferência de massa na fase sólida somente influenciou a taxa global de reação, quando foram usados tamanhos de partículas cúbicas de 3,0 cm de aresta. A resistência à transferência de massa na fase líquida não foi somente afetada pela intensidade de agitação, mas também pela eficiência da mistura obtida por cada tipo de impelidor. A mistura do líquido dentro do reator obtida pelo impelidor turbina plana foi a mais eficiente. O uso deste tipo de impelidor resultou em menores consumos de energia e ótimo desempenho do reator com baixas taxas de agitação. Os resultados deste estudo permitiram concluir que esta nova configuração não permite a manutenção de condição de anaerobiose estrita no meio, principalmente quando altas intensidades de agitação foram aplicadas e as limitações da eficiência do processo, neste sistema, estão relacionadas principalmente as resistências à transferência de massa do que restrições cinéticas bioquímicas. / The bench-scale anaerobic sequencing batch reactor consisted of a cylindrical glass flask with a total capacity of 5 liters. The reactor was surrounded by a water jacket that allowed the operation to proceed at a constant temperature throughout the experiment. The biomass was immobilized in 5-mm cubic particles of polyurethane foam (apparent density of 23 kg/\'M POT.3\') placed in a basket inside the cylindrical flask. The mixing was provided by three mechanical impellers with diameters of 3 cm, placed 4 cm apart along a vertical axis, at the center of the reactor. All experiments were conducted at the temperature of 30 Celsius degrees. Each batch consisted of three steps: feed, react and liquid withdrawal. The performance of this new reactor configuration was evaluated under different conditions of solid and liquid-phase mass transfer. In order to evaluate the effects of the solid-phase mass transfer, four experiments were carried out with cubical polyurethane foam particles of 0.5 cm, 1.0 cm, 2.0, cm and 3.0 cm side, and with propeller impellers rotating at 500 rpm, achieved by preliminary experiment. The effects of the liquid-phase mass transfer were evaluated through four experiments with four types of impellers: propeller, flat-blade, pitched-blade and curved-blade turbines, at agitation rates from 100 rpm and 1100 rpm. A hydrodynamic test was also carried out in order to verify the mixing time, energy consumption and occurrence of strict anaerobic activity in system. A low-strength synthetic substrate was used in all the experiments with a mean chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 530 ± 37 mg DQO/L. The influence of the solid and liquid-phase mass transfer on the reactor\'s performance was assessed by measuring COD temporal profiles along batch cycles. In all conditions studied the reactor achieved good efficiency, with mean removal of organic matter (COD) of 87%. The effluent mean TVA concentration was 13 ± 9 mg HAc/L, bicarbonate alkalinity was 223 ± 14 mg Ca\'CO IND.3\'/L and the pH values ranged from 6,7 e 7,2. The solid-phase mass transfer was not the limiting step in the organic matter conversion when 0.5 to 2.0-cm side bioparticles were used in the anaerobic sequencing batch reactor. Solid-phase mass transfer resistance only influenced the overall reaction rate when 3.0-cm cubic bioparticles were used. The liquid-phase mass transfer resistance was affected both by agitation and by efficiency of mixture provided by each type of impeller. Among the impellers assayed, the flat-blade one was the most efficient in providing the required mixing conditions. The use of this type impeller resulted in small energy consumption and excellent performance of the reactor with low agitation rate (N = 300 rpm). The results of this study also indicated that this new configuration did not provide conditions for the establishment of strict anaerobic conditions, mainly when high agitation rates were used. Anaerobic process efficiency limitations in this system were mainly related to mass transfer resistances rather than biochemical kinetic restrictions.

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird die Konzeptionierung und die Realisierung eines teilkontinuierlichen Thermolyseverfahrens zur rohstofflichen Verwertung von Polyethylen- und Polypropylenabfällen beschrieben. Die Ausführung in der zweistufigen Rührkesselkaskade gewährleistete dabei die Trennung der Prozessschritte Schmelzen sowie Cracken der Einsatzmaterialien, woraus ein Thermolyseöl hervorging, welches weitestgehend frei von den Verunreinigungen aus den Abfällen war. Das Thermolyseöl wies eine Zusammensetzung aus Benzin- und Dieselkomponenten auf und erfüllte einige entscheidende Kraftstoffkriterien. Zur Senkung der qualitätsmindernden Olefingehalte wurden in einem weiteren Teil dieser Arbeit Untersuchungen zur heterogen-katalysierten Hydrierung der Siedeschnitte im Schüttgutreaktor und im Rührautoklav durchgeführt. Dabei konnten die Olefingehalte durch den Einsatz eines Palladium-Platin-Trägerkatalysators sowie durch einen Nickel-Gerüstkatalysator maßgeblich gesenkt werden. Als unerwünschtes Nebenprodukt des Thermolyseprozesses resultierte ein geringer Anteil Koks, welcher in der Schmelze akkumulierte und sich teilweise an der Reaktorwand ablagerte. Die entstandenen Mengen wiesen eine Abhängigkeit von der Prozesstemperatur und -dauer auf und mussten aus dem Prozess geschleust werden. Als weitere Nebenprodukte traten ein leichtflüchtiges Spaltgas sowie ein Sumpfrückstand auf. Darüber hinaus wurde gezeigt, dass die aufzuwendende Energie für den Thermolyseprozess durch die Energiegehalte der Nebenprodukte gedeckt werden kann. Neben dem Einsatz als Kraftstoff empfahl sich das Thermolyseöl aufgrund seiner physikalischen und chemischen Eigenschaften gerade im Hinblick auf einen nachhaltigen Umgang mit Ressourcen als beachtenswerter Ersatz für fossiles Rohöl.

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt zwei Verfahren zur Herstellung von submikronen Ionenaustauscherpartikeln. Im ersten Verfahren, der Miniemulsionspolymerisation, liegt der Schwerpunkt auf dem energetisch sehr aufwendigen Schritt der Herstellung einer stabilen Miniemulsion. Dabei werden Prozessparameter optimiert und Destabilisierungsmechanismen analysiert. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit wird ein neues kostengünstiges und ressourcenschonendes Herstellungsverfahren vorgestellt. Dabei werden kommerziell erhältliche Ionenaustauscherpartikel auf Polymerbasis in Kugelmühlen zerkleinert.

This work investigates the fluid flow in a cylindrical millilitre vial stirred by a magnetic stirred bar using Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD). Stirred millilitre vials are used to study nucleation phenomena and crystallization as an outline of literature study of nucleation and crystallization phenomena and the role of stirring in this process. The baffle free vial was meshed with around 500,000 cells. To simulate the stirring a rotary frame and moving walls were used. Stirring speeds were between 100 and 1000 rpm where considered, correspondently to a stirrer Reynolds number between 260 and 2600. For stirring speeds bellow 500 rpm, simulations by both the both laminar flow model and the k-ε model where run, while above 500 rpm only k-ε was used. Results of the two models were very similar indicative the adequacy of k-ε to simulate the flow even at low Reynolds. The flow shows expected circulation pattern with upwards pumping close to side walls and downwards pumping in the centre of cylindrical vial. At 1000 rpm circulation patterns expands up to the top of the vial while at 300 rpm and lower the upper half of the vial is poorly mixed. The average turbulent energy of the flow is very low comparing with the squared stirrer tip speed and the power number decrees with Reynolds number, indicating that the flow is not fully turbulent.

No description available.

L'étude de l'oxydation d'hydrocarbures naphténiques (éthyl-cyclohexane, n-butyl-cyclohexane) et aromatiques (éthyl-benzène, n-butyl-benzène, n-hexyl-benzène) a été réalisée en réacteur auto-agité par jets-gazeux (pression de 1 à10 bar, température de500 à1100 K, richesse : 0,25, 1 et 2, temps de passage:2s). Les produits de réaction ont été quantifiés par chromatographie en phase gazeuse et identifiés par couplage avec la spectrométrie de masse. L'influence sur la réactivité et sur la sélectivité de la richesse, de la pression et de la taille de la chaîne alkyle greffée sur le cycle aromatique ou naphténique a été déterminée. La réactivité de l'éthyl-cyclohexane a également été comparée à celle obtenue pour deux autres composés contenant 8 atomes de carbone (le n-octane et le 1-octène). Les résultats expérimentaux pour l'éthyl-cyclohexane et le n-butyl-benzène sont en bon accord avec des prédictions réalisées à l'aide de modèles de la littérature, sauf pour le composé naphténique pour des températures inférieures à 800 K. Un mécanisme cinétique détaillé d'oxydation de l'éthyl-benzène a été développé (1411 réactions ; 205 espèces) et validé à partir des résultats obtenus lors de cette thèse mais également à partir de résultats disponibles dans la littérature. Ce mécanisme constitue la « base aromatique » implémentée dans le nouveau logiciel EXGAS Alkyl-aromatiques développé parallèlement à cette thèse et qui permet la génération automatique de mécanismes cinétiques d'oxydation des composés Alkyl-aromatiques. Une étude des règles génériques de décomposition des espèces primaires dans le mécanisme secondaire de ce logiciel a été réalisée lors de cette thèse / The study of the oxidation of naphthenic (ethyl-cyclohexane,n-butyl-cyclohexane) and aromatic (ethyl-benzene,n-butyl-benzene, n-hexyl-benzene) hydrocarbons was performed in a jet-stirred reactor (pressure from 1 to10 bar, temperature from 500 to 1100 K, equivalenceratio: 0.25, 1 and2, residence time: 2s). Reaction products were quantified by gas chromatography and identified using mass spectrometry. The influence on the reactivity and the product selectivity of the equivalence ratio, the pressure and the size of the side alkyl chain attached tothe aromatic or naphthenic ringwas determined. The reactivity of ethyl-cyclohexane was also compared to that obtained for two other compounds containing 8 carbon atoms (n-octane and1-octene). The experimental results for ethyl-cyclohexane and n-butyl-benzene have been satisfactorily compared with prediction made using detailed kinetic mechanisms from the literature, except for the naphthenic at temperature below 800 K. A detailed kinetic mechanismfor the oxidation of ethyl-benzene has been developed (1411 reactions, 205 species) and validated from experimental results obtained in this studybut also from results available in literature. This mechanism has now becomethe "aromatic base" implemented in the software EXGAS Alkyl-aromaticswhich has been developed together with this PhD work and which allows theautomatic generation of alkyl-aromatics oxidation kinetic mechanisms. A study of the generic rules of decomposition of primary species in the secondary mechanism of this softwarewas conducted in this thesis

Ce travail étudie l'intérêt de l'ajout d'hydrolysats de levure dans un procédé de culture de cellules CHO productrices d'anticorps en vue, d'une part, de déterminer leur condition d'utilisation et leur rôle, et, d'autre part, de caractériser les composés actifs. Pour répondre à ces objectifs, une démarche intégrant des études cinétiques, des stratégies de fractionnement et l'analyse biochimique des hydrolysats et de leurs fractions a été développée. En premier lieu, il a été montré que les hydrolysats de levure présentent des effets significatifs sur les cultures selon leur composition et les conditions d'ajout. De même, des effets synergiques ont été mis en évidence par le mélange d'hydrolysats générés à partir de différents procédés. D'autre part, des études cinétiques ont permis de corréler l'influence positive des hydrolysats sur la croissance cellulaire à l'amélioration du métabolisme énergétique. Dans un deuxième temps, la nature biochimique et le rôle des composés actifs ont été étudiés par la mise en oeuvre d'un procédé de nanofiltration membranaire et la reconstitution de mélanges de molécules contenues dans un extrait de levure (EXL). Ces résultats ont mis en évidence l'intérêt des di- et tri-peptides pour approvisionner le métabolisme énergétique et de molécules non nutritives, de poids moléculaire supérieur à 500 Da, pour stimuler la vitesse spécifique de croissance des cellules. Finalement, le rétentat issu de la nanofiltration de l'EXL a été fractionné à l'aide de divers procédés chromatographiques, unitaires ou associés, pour caractériser les propriétés physico-chimiques des composés actifs. L'effet des fractions sur la culture de cellules a alors souligné l'intérêt des molécules chargées positivement, et plus particulièrement, des peptides hydrophiles et cationiques pour stimuler la croissance des cellules. Ainsi, nos travaux permettent de mieux appréhender les mécanismes d'action des hydrolysats de levure sur les cellules CHO productrices d'anticorps et proposent des voies d'optimisation pour la simplification d'additifs complexes dans les milieux de culture dédiés à la culture de cellules animales / This work studies the interest of the addition of yeast hydrolysates in culture medium of CHO cell producing antibody, to determine the operating conditions and their role, but also to improve the characterization of active compounds. In this way, an integrated approach including kinetic studies, fractionation strategies and biochemical analysis of hydrolysates and of their fractions was developed. First, we showed that yeast hydrolysates exhibited various properties depending on their composition and the operating conditions. In addition, synergistic effects were observed with different hydrolysate mixtures. Besides, kinetic studies underlined that the positive influence of hydrolysates on cell growth is correlated with energetic metabolism improvement. Then, the biochemical nature and the role of active compounds were studied by the implementation of a nanofiltration process and the reconstitution of mixtures of molecules contained in a yeast extract (YE). The results highlighted the interest of di- and tri-peptides to supply energetic metabolism, and of non-nutritive molecules, exhibiting a molecular weight greater than 500 Da, to stimulate the specific cell growth rate. Finally, the retentate fraction of nanofiltrated YE was fractionated by various chromatographic processes to characterize the physico-chemical properties of active compounds. The effect of fractions on cell culture emphasized the positive effect of positively charged molecules, especially hydrophilic and cationic peptides, to stimulate the cell growth. Thus, our work provides important insights in yeast hydrolysate mechanisms on CHO cells and suggests procedures to simplify such a complex additive of media dedicated to mammalian cell culture

La réponse globale de cellules animales à des contraintes hydrodynamiques lors de leur culture en suspension dans des réacteurs agités a été étudiée grâce à une approche intégrative couplant les outils du génie biochimique à ceux de la mécanique des fluides numérique. En premier lieu, la description de l’hydrodynamique moyenne et locale de deux systèmes de culture agités de laboratoire, spinner et bioréacteur, a été réalisée. Puis, l'étude des cinétiques macroscopiques de cellules CHO cultivées en suspension, en milieu sans sérum et sans protéine, a été réalisée avec différentes vitesses d’agitation, pour évaluer l'impact de l'agitation sur les vitesses de croissance et de mort cellulaires, ainsi que de consommation des substrats et de production des métabolites et de l'interféron-gamma recombinant. Des caractérisations supplémentaires des cellules (apoptose, protéines intracellulaires) et de l'interféron ont également été réalisées. Les effets de l'intensification de l'agitation ont été représentés avec plusieurs corrélations globales reliant : (i) en milieu contenant du pluronic, l'intégrale des cellules viables au nombre de Reynolds, et la proportion de cellules lysées à la valeur moyenne de l'énergie de dissipation, <[epsilon]? (ii) en milieu sans pluronic, les vitesses spécifiques de croissance et de mort cellulaires à <[epsilon]. De plus, l'analyse par CFD de la distribution spatio-temporelle des contraintes indique que la lyse cellulaire, observée dans le réacteur aux conditions extrêmes d'agitation, serait plutôt liée à des valeurs locales très élevées de [epsilon], ainsi qu’à la fréquence d'exposition des cellules dans ces zones énergétiques. Un modèle hydro-cinétique original, couplant l’hydrodynamique locale aux cinétiques cellulaires de croissance et de mort, et basé sur l’intermittence de la turbulence permet la prédiction de la lyse massive observée en réacteur sous certaines conditions. Pour confirmer le fait que les effets liés à l'intensification de l'agitation sont bien le résultat d'une augmentation des contraintes hydrodynamiques, et non d'une amélioration du transfert d'oxygène, ce dernier a été mesuré et modélisé par couplage avec une simulation numérique de type Volume Of Fluid , concluant en une absence de limitation d'oxygène. Enfin, la conception, le dimensionnement et la caractérisation hydrodynamique d'un réacteur innovant de type Couette-Taylor, sont proposées pour la mise en œuvre de cultures perfusées dans un environnement hydrodynamique mieux contrôlé / The global response of animal cells to hydrodynamic stress when cultivated in suspension in stirred tank reactors was studied. To do this, an integrative approach coupling biochemical engineering and fluid mechanics tools were used. First, the description of the global and local hydrodynamics of two bench-scale agitated reactors, a spinner flask and a bioreactor, was carried out. Then, macroscopic kinetics of CHO cells cultivated in a serum and protein-free medium were obtained at various agitation rates, in order to evaluate the impact of agitation on cellular growth and death, as well as substrates consumption and metabolites and recombining IFN-[gamma] production. IFN-[gamma] and cells physiological state were more precisely characterised by glycosylation, apoptosis state and intracellular proteins measurements. The effects of the agitation increase were represented by several global correlations that related: (i) in a medium containing Pluronic F68, the Integral of the Viable Cells Density to the Reynolds number, and the proportion of lysed cells with the average value of energy dissipation rate <[epsilon]? (ii) in a medium without pluronic, specific cell growth and death rates to <[epsilon]. Moreover, CFD analysis of the stress distribution indicated that the cellular lysis observed in the bioreactor at the highest agitation rate, would be related to very high local values of [epsilon], and to the exposure frequency of the cells in these energetic zones. An original hydro-kinetic model based on the intermittency of turbulence and coupling the local hydrodynamics with cell growth and death kinetics, allowed the prediction of the massive cell lysis observed in the bioreactor under some mixing conditions. To decouple shear stress effects from oxygen transfer improvement, the oxygen transfer coefficient was experimentally measured and modelled using a Volume Of Fluid numerical simulation. Our results indicated the absence of an oxygen limitation, which confirmed that this cell response resulted from the hydrodynamic stress increase alone. Lastly, an innovative continuous and perfused Couette-Taylor reactor, allowing a better-controlled hydrodynamic environment was designed and sized. Its hydrodynamic description was carried out using CFD calculations

Células de mamíferos são os hospedeiros mais frequentemente utilizados para a fabricação de proteínas biofarmacêuticas e para a produção de vacinas virais, A qualidade é um elemento-chave para o estabelecimento de um processo de bioconversão eficiente. No presente trabalho utilizamos a linhagem de células BHK- 21C13(Baby Hamster Kidney) adaptadas para cultivo em suspensão. O uso de Soro Fetal Bovino (SFB) é tradicionalmente utilizado, sendo considerado um suplemento universal, pois permite o crescimento em várias linhagens de células de mamíferos; porém, uso de SFB apresenta risco de infecção por prions, variabilidade entre lotes e aumento no custo em etapa de purificação (Downstream processing). O objetivo do presente trabalho foi comparar o cultivo de células BHK-21 C13 entre dois meios suplementados com SFB e sem SFB, através do estudo cinético para cultivo em suspensão estático e agitado com frascoT, frasco spinner e biorreator, respectivamente. Os parâmetros; Xmáx e &#181;máx, não foram significativamente influenciados pelo meio de cultura em cultivo estático, em cultivo com agitação em frasco spinner e também no cultivo em biorreator. O tempo de duplicação ficou próximo para todas as condições testadas. A produtividade alcançada foi: 0,032x106 cel/mL.h-1 para o meio com SFB e 0,031 X106 cel/mL.h-1 para o meio sem SFB. Ao final do processo foi possível obter uma concentração celular em torno de 4,7x106 cel/mL, tanto para o cultivo com SFB quanto para o cultivo sem SFB. Dessa forma, o uso de meio de cultivo sem SFB não alterou os principais parâmetros cinéticos, não apresentando as desvantagens do uso do SFB. / Mammalian cells are the most frequently used hosts for the production of biopharmaceutical proteins and viral vaccines. Quality is a key element for the establishment of an efficient bioconversion process. In this work, we used the cell line Baby Hamster Kidney C13 (BHK-21 C13) adapted to suspension culture was used. Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) is traditionally used and it is considered a universal insert due to its power to increase cell growth in this kind of animal cells. However, the utilization of FBS introduces risks of infection from prions, variability between batches and increase in cost associated to purification stages (downstream processing). This work aimed to compare the kinetic behaviors of BHK-21 C13 cells in two media supplemented with FBS and without FBS using both one static and two suspension systems, T-flask, spinner flask and bioreactor respectively. The parameters; Xmax and &#181;max were not significantly influenced by the culture medium in T- flask culture static, in spinner flask cultivation and were neither significantly influenced by growing in culture media stirred bioreactor. The doubling time was close to all conditions tested. At the end of the growth phase it was possible to obtain a nearby cell concentration of 4.7 x 106 cells / ml, both for cultivation with FBS as for FBS without cultivation. Thus, the use of culture medium without FBS did not affect the main kinetic parameters. Besides, it does not show the disadvantages of culture media using FBS.

L’objectif a été d’étudier le procédé de cristallisation en émulsion d’un ingrédient cosmétique hydrophobe (EGDS) dispersé en phase aqueuse. La première étape consiste à émulsifier à chaud l’EGDS en présence d’un émulsifiant afin d’obtenir une émulsion stable huile dans eau. La cristallisation par refroidissement de l’émulsion est la seconde étape. Deux sondes optiques ont été mises au point pour permettre le suivi vidéo in situ en temps réel du procédé. A partir des séquences vidéo, la mesure de la distribution en taille des gouttes (DTG) a été faite automatiquement, celles des particules par un opérateur. La croissance des cristaux dans les gouttes a été observée au moyen d’une platine thermostatée sous microscope. Par son action sur le mécanisme de brisure la puissance spécifique d’agitation est le paramètre de premier ordre sur la DTG. La concentration en émulsifiant a un impact de second ordre sur la DTG (coalescence et stabilisation). L’emploi d’une hélice à pales minces au lieu d’une turbine Rushton est préférable (DTG étroite et polyvalence du mobile). La mesure in situ a permis de déterminer que le temps d’obtention d’une DTG stable est 3 à 4 fois supérieur aux données de la littérature. La cristallisation des gouttes est progressive, des plus grosses aux plus petites. Une goutte donne naissance à une particule dans les conditions expérimentales choisies. La fréquence de nucléation primaire a été calculée à partir de l’évolution temporelle des DTG, en supposant un mécanisme mononucléaire dans chaque goutte. Le mécanisme est hétérogène. La localisation de la nucléation primaire dans le volume de la goutte ou à sa surface interne n’a pas été possible / The aim was to study the crystallization in emulsion process of a hydrophobic cosmetic ingredient (EGDS). The emulsification of the molten EGDS in a continuous phase with the use of an emulsifier in order to obtain a stable droplet size distribution (DSD) is the first stage. The crystallization upon cooling is the second stage. Two optical probes were developed to allow the in situ video monitoring of each stage of the process in real time. From the video sequences recorded the measurement of the DSD was carried out automatically, and by an operator for the PSD. The growth of crystals in motionless droplets was observed under microscope thanks to a thermostated well. The specific power input of stirring was the main parameter acting on the reduction of DSD owing to its action on the droplet break-up mechanism. The surfactant concentration was a parameter of secondary relevance on the DSD (coalescence and stability). The use of a flat blade propeller instead of a Rushton turbine was preferable for the production of a narrower DSD. Finally the time required to reach equilibrium was found higher by a factor of 3-4 than predicted in the literature. It was shown that the droplets crystallized very progressively during cooling, from the biggest to the smallest droplets. With the experimental conditions, one drop gave birth to one particle. The primary nucleation rate was obtained from the analysis of the temporal evolution of the DSD with the hypothesis of a mononuclear mechanism in each droplet. The nature of the mechanism seems to be heterogeneous. Nevertheless its localization in the droplet volume or at the inner interfacial surface was not possible