A single stage continuous culture of Corynebacterium glutamicum bacteria is conducted in a 200 L stirred fermenter, at 30oC. The reactor is sparged with a gas mixture of 63% oxygen and 37% nitrogen at a rate of 1 VVM (Volume/Volume. min) at room temperature. Average pressure in the fermenter is 1 atm. Volumetric flow rate of off-gas from the fermenter is 189 L min–1. Exit gas stream from the fermenter has been analysed and found that it contains 52% O2. a) What is the oxygen transfer rate?
b) If the maximum specific oxygen uptake rate of the microorganism is 5.10-3 g L-1 s-1, is the cell growth in the fermenter limited by mass transfer? Explain shortly.