Introduction - Bioprocess Engineering: Kinetics, Biosystems, Sustainability and Reactor Design - page 1

CHAPTER
1

Introduction

OUTLINE

1.1. Biological Cycle 1 1.7. The Story of Penicillin: the Dawn

of Bioprocess Engineering 12

1.2. Green Chemistry 3

1.8. Bioprocesses: Regulatory
Constraints

1.3. Sustainability 5

15

1.4. Biorefinery 6

1.9. The Pillars of Bioprocess Kinetics
and Systems Engineering

1.5. Biotechnology and Bioprocess
Engineering

17

9

1.10. Summary 18

1.6. Mathematics, Biology, and
Engineering

Problems 20

11

1.1. BIOLOGICAL CYCLE

Figure 1.1 illustrates the natural biological processes occurring on Earth. Living systems
consist of plants, animals and microorganisms. Sunlight is used by plants to convert CO 2
and H 2 O into carbohydrates and other organic matter, releasing O 2 . Animals consume plant
matter, converting plant materials into animal cells, and using the chemical energy from
oxidizing plant matter into CO 2 and H 2 O(H 2 O also serves as a key substrate for animals),
finishing the cycle. Microorganisms further convert dead animal and/or plant biomass
into other form of organic substances fertilizing the growth of plants, releasing CO 2 and
H 2 O, and the cycle is repeated. Energy from the Sun is used to formmolecules and organisms
that we call life. Materials or matter participating in the biological cycle are renewable so long
as the cycle is maintained. Bioprocess engineers manipulate and make use of this cycle by
designing processes to make desired products, either by training microorganisms, plants,
and animals or via direct chemical conversions.