Development and scaling-up of packed-bed bioreactors for cellulase production by solid-state fermentation

• Grant number: 14/25183-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2015
• End date: August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: João Cláudio Thoméo
• Grantee: Fernanda Perpétua Casciatori
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 10/12624-0 - Application of physical-chemical and enzymatic methods in the saccharification of sugar cane bagasse: studies on microorganisms, fermentative processes and hydrolyses methods, AP.TEM

Abstract

At this moment, when the development of clean and renewable energetic matrices is strategic, hydrolytic enzymes are in the spotlight due to their capacity of hydrolyzing lignocellulosic materials, wastes from agro-industry, aiming to second generation ethanol production. Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is a biotechnological alternative environmentally and economically feasible for such enzymes production. In this context, and considering the lack of commercial equipments for SSF processes, the purpose of the current project is to develop and scale-up a packed-bed bioreactor, aiming fibrolytic enzymes production by fungi thermophilic Myceliophthora thermophila I-1D3b and mesophilic Trichoderma reesei QM9414, cultivated on a moist mixture of sugarcane bagasse and wheat bran (7:3 and 9:1 w/w, respectively). The project comprises modeling and simulation, as well as experiments in packed-bed bioreactors with several sizes and operational conditions. The equipment will be instrumented with thermocouples, gases analyzers and relative moisture sensors, allowing monitoring and automatically control the process. At the closure of this project, it is expected to produce a low-cost, simple and versatile equipment, whose technical capacity will call the attention of industries. Therefore, the bioreactor will be possibly patentable and will have strong potential for application in biorefineries, as well as to other microorganisms, substrates and bioproducts. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

REZENDES TADA, ERIKA FERNANDA; BUECK, ANDREAS; CASCIATORI, FERNANDA PERPETUA; TSOTSAS, EVANGELOS; CLAUDIO THOMEO, JOAO. Investigation of heat transfer in partially filled horizontal drums. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL, v. 316, p. 988-1003, MAY 15 2017. (12/13939-0, 14/23453-3, 14/25183-3, 11/07453-5, 15/00362-5)

CASCIATORI, FERNANDA PERPETUA; THOMEO, JOAO CLAUDIO. Heat transfer in packed-beds of agricultural waste with low rates of air flow applicable to solid-state fermentation. Chemical Engineering Science, v. 188, p. 97-111, OCT 12 2018. (14/25183-3, 12/13939-0, 14/23453-3, 18/00996-2, 11/07453-5)

CASCIATORI, FERNANDA PERPETUA; BUECK, ANDREAS; THOMEO, JOAO CLAUDIO; TSOTSAS, EVANGELOS. Two-phase and two-dimensional model describing heat and water transfer during solid-state fermentation within a packed-bed bioreactor. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL, v. 287, p. 103-116, MAR 1 2016. (11/07453-5, 12/13939-0, 14/25183-3)