Question: I will rate your answer. I'm so confused about it. Please help me with this one. Thank you. You are to prepare a broth for

 I will rate your answer. I'm so confused about it. Please

I will rate your answer. I'm so confused about it. Please help me with this one. Thank you.

You are to prepare a broth for a fermenter to grow antibiotic-producing cells. (A fermentor is just a special reactor vessel for growing microorganisms.) The broth should be an aqueous solution containing 15 wt% glucose, 6 wt% phosphate, 6 wt% nitrate, and various trace nutrients. A custom supplier can produce the required blend for $15/kg, but your boss suspects you can produce the blend in-house for much less. Several commercial powders are available as raw ingredients, to be mixed with water as needed. Their mass compositions and costs are: "Fast-Feed" "Super-Gro" "Formula N" 45% 2% 1% 0% 35% 0% 12% 58% Glucose Phosphate Nitrate Trace nutrients Filler Cost/kg 3% 15% 8% 42% 49% S20 0% 30% $15 $10 (a) Suggest a combination of these powders that will produce the desired broth composition. Give the masses of powders and water required per kilogram of broth. (b) What is the maximum savings per kilogram broth? (Assume water is free.) If the mixing equipment and storage tanks for preparing a 20-kg batch cost $2000, how many batches will you need to make to pay for the equipment before you begin to see real savings? (c) What is the wt% trace nutrients in the home-made broth? If you now require 3 wt% trace nutrients, can you mix up a broth from the available powders that meets all specifications? What combination of powders would you recommend, and how does meeting this new requirement affect the economics

Step by Step Solution

There are 3 Steps involved in it

1 Expert Approved Answer
Step: 1 Unlock blur-text-image
Question Has Been Solved by an Expert!

Get step-by-step solutions from verified subject matter experts

Step: 2 Unlock
Step: 3 Unlock

Students Have Also Explored These Related Chemical Engineering Questions!