MATERIAL BALANCES EXERCISES

Exercise 1
5 3
A continuous process is set up for treatment of wastewater. Each day, 10 kg cellulose and 10
4 4
kg bacteria enter in the feed stream, while 10 kg cellulose and 1.5 x 10 kg bacteria leave in
4 -1
the effluent. The rate of cellulose digestion by the bacteria is 7 x 10 kg d . The rate of
4 -l
bacterial growth is 2 x 10 kg d ; the rate of cell death by lysis is 5 x 10 2 kg d -1. Write
balances for cellulose and bacteria in the system.

Exercise 2
How much dry sugar must be added in 100 kg of aqueous sugar solution in order to increase
its concentration from 20% to 50%?

Exercise 3
Fermentation slurry containing Streptomyces kanamyceticus cells is filtered using a
-1
continuous rotary vacuum filter. 120 kg h slurry is fed to the filter; 1 kg slurry contains 60 g
cell solids. To improve filtration rates, particles of diatomaceous-earth filter aid are added at a
-1
rate of 10 kg h . The concentration of kanamycin in the slurry is 0.05% by weight. Liquid
-1
filtrate is collected at a rate of 112 kg h ; the concentration of kanamycin in the filtrate is
0.045% (w/w). Filter cake containing cells and filter aid is continuously removed from the
filter cloth.
(a) What percentage liquid is the filter cake? (b) If the concentration of kanamycin in the filter-
cake liquid is the same as in the filtrate, how much kanamycin is absorbed per kg filter aid?

Exercise 4
Corn-steep liquor (CSL) contains 2.5% invert sugars and 50% water; the rest can be
considered solids. Beet molasses (BM) containing 50% sucrose, 1% invert sugars, 18% water
and the remainder solids, is mixed with CSL in a mixed tank. Water is added to produce a
diluted sugar mixture containing 2% (w/w) invert sugars. 125 kg CSL and 45 kg BM are fed
into the tank.
How much water is required?
What is the concentration of sucrose in the final mixture

Exercise 5
Acetobacter aceti bacteria convert ethanol to acetic acid under aerobic conditions. A
continuous fermentation process for vinegar production is proposed using non-viable A. aceti
-1
cells immobilised on the surface of gelatin beads. The production target is 2 kg h acetic acid;
however the maximum acetic acid concentration tolerated by the cells is 12%. Air is pumped
-1
into the fermenter at a rate of 200 mol h .
(a) What minimum amount of ethanol is required?
(b) What minimum amount of water must be used to dilute the ethanol to avoid acid
inhibition?
(c) What is the composition of the fermenter off-gas?
 Exercise 6
Xanthan gum is produced using Xanthomonas campestris in batch culture. Laboratory
experiments have shown that for each gram of glucose utilized by the bacteria, 0.23 g oxygen
and 0.01 g ammonia are consumed, while 0.75 g gum, 0.09 g cells, 0.27 g gaseous CO2 and
0.13 g H20 are formed. Other components of the system such as phosphate can be neglected.
Medium containing glucose and ammonia dissolved in 20 000 litres water is pumped into a
stirred fermenter and inoculated with X. campestris.
Air is sparged into the fermenter; the total amount of off-gas recovered during the entire batch
culture is 1250 kg. Because of the high viscosity and difficulty in handling xanthan-gum
solutions, the final gum concentration should not be allowed to exceed 3.5 wt%.
(a) How much glucose and ammonia are required?
(b) What percentage excess air is provided?

Exercise 7

Fresh orange juice with 12% soluble solids content is concentrated to 60% in a multiple effect
evaporator. To improve the quality of the final product the concentrated juice is mixed with an
amount of fresh juice (cut back) so that the concentration of the mixture is 42%. Calculate
how much water per hour must be evaporated in the evaporator, how much fresh juice per
hour must be added back and how much final product will be produced if the inlet feed flow
rate is 10000 kg/h fresh juice. Assume steady state.

Exercise 8

Milk with 3.8% fat and 8.1% fat-free solids (FFS) is used for the production of canned
concentrated milk. The process includes separation of the cream in a centrifuge and
concentration of the partially defatted milk in an evaporator. If the cream that is produced in
the centrifuge contains 55% water, 40% fat, and 5% fat-free solids, calculate how much milk
is necessary in order to produce a can of concentrated milk that contains 410 g milk with
7.8% fat and 18.1% fat-free solids. How much cream and how much water must be removed
in the centrifuge and the evaporator respectively? Assume steady state.
Exercise

Exercise 9

1000 kg/h of a fruit juice with 10% solids is freeze-concentrated to 40% solids. The dilute
juice is fed to a freezer where the ice crystals are formed and then the slush is separated in a
centrifugal separator into ice crystals and concentrated juice. An amount of 500 kg/h of liquid
is recycled from the separator to the freezer. Calculate the amount of ice that is removed in
the separator and the amount of concentrated juice produced. Assume steady state.
Exercise 10

According to some indications, crystallization of honey is avoided if the ratio of glucose to

water is equal to 1.70. Given the composition of two honeys, find the proportions in which
they have to be mixed so that the ratio of glucose to water in the blend is 1.7. What will be the
composition of the blend?
Honey H1: glucose 35%, fructose 33%, sucrose 6%, water 16%.

Honey H2: glucose 27%, fructose 37%, sucrose 7%, water 19%.

Exercise 11
Find the ratio of milk with 3.8% fat to milk with 0.5% fat that have to be mixed in order to
produce a blend with 3.5% fat.

Ejercicios Complementarios

Ejercicio A

Ejercicio B