The fermentation process in which the single-cell protein is produced is difficult to operate at high concentrations, i.e., high productivities. Economic optimizing control for a U-loop reactor is an attempt to stabilise the single-cell protein production, and significantly increase the productivity of the reactors.
Uniprotein, the single-cell protein product produced by Unibio, is produced in a fermentation process using their patented U-loop technology. The process in illustrated in the image below. Fermentation provides a good alternative to unsustainable production of protein. However, the productivity of the fermentation is too low to make Uniprotein a financially viable alternative. Economic optimizing control for a U-loop reactor is an attempt to increase the productivity, and thus also the feasibility of Uniprotein as an alternative protein source for the meat industry.
Using the predictive properties of a mathematical model of the U-loop reactor, nonlinear state estimation and system identification algorithms, and efficient optimization algorithms, we design, implement and test a model-based control solution for the continuous bioprocess. Using this solution, the goal is to increase the productivity of the U-loop reactor from around 3 kg/m^3/hr to more than 6 kg/m^3/hr – increasing the productivity by more than 100%.
The successful completion of the project will mean that Unibio’s product can more effectively compete with the currently used unsustainable protein products, but also that we will have provided a sustainable and feasible protein product for the meat industry. The control system for a continuous bioprocess, which is the end-product of the project, can be much more widely used, and has great potential to increase productivity in a range of industries dependent on fermentation.
Main supervisor:
John Bagterp Jørgensen
Ib Christensen
Co- supervisor:
Jakob Kjøbsted Huusom
Krist V. Gernaey
Jess Dragheim