Investigation on Downstream Processing of Industrial Scale of Flexirubin Production Using Superpro Designer

Abstract

The aim of this work is to utilize a process simulator SuperPro Designer v5.5 (Intelligent, NJ, USA) for investigation on the most optimum scenario for the recovery of flexirubin pigment that was produced from a fermentation process using Chryseobacterium artocarpi strain. Process flow sheeting was based on the production of 300 kg per annum of flexirubin. Production phase at 1000 L bioreactor (including steps for the inoculum development) and different scenarios/routes for recovery of flexirubin were considered. SuperPro designer process simulator allowed for the computation of overall operating cost and capital cost under various operating parameters. Results from simulation shows that all proposed downstream processing routes is capable of achieving a high degree of flexirubin recovery yield i.e. at least 94% (or greater). Operating cost was relatively low as the overall quantity of flexirubin was rather small. Capital cost for equipment purchasing however highly depending on the selection of unit procedures for recovery of flexirubin. Centrifugation unit accelerated the separation processes but it is costly compared to the dead-end filtration unit. The latter was found to be the bottleneck for the optimization step where high yield of flexirubin can be warranted at reduced capital cost by at least 40%.

Introducing Arduino as an Effective Online Distance Learning Tool in Final Year Project for Chemical Engineering Student

“…In the context of FYP, abrupt changes to such e-learning surroundings limit the resources and options to the type of home-based project that have to be done by the students. Efforts have been made by professors in the higher learning institution to adapt to this new paradigm whereby choices are limited to nonexperimental research such as simulation work, mathematical modelling, theoretical review study, and/or surveys-oriented research work (Arriafdi et al, 2021;Li et al 2020;Sultana et al 2017;Yaacob et al 2020). Whilst this may fulfil the basic requirements of FYP projects but another issue arises; this sort of project is not really the main forte for engineering students where majority prefer hands-on experimental study.…”