Analyzing CFD Simulation Outputs on Physiologic Effects And Process Performance
Problem Statement
- Scale up of processes is a difficult task due to inhomogeneities which are present in large scale reactors.
- Cells undergo dynamic gradients in large scale, leading to different metabolic responses than in small scale.
- Process performance in large scale is therefore different than in small scale.
- Process development strategies need to take those scale up effects into account and need to anticipate and ideally compensate those effects.
Goal
- Derive a methodological workflow to quickly assess if a CFD inhomogeneity pattern actually has an impact on physiology and process performance
- Provide novel Feeding strategies to compensate scale up effects
Unique position at VUT
- Pilot scale reactors of 60 L and 20 L are available at Vienna University of Technology (VUT) for which CFD simulations exist an can be used as scale down reactors.
- Those reactors can be run at suboptimal conditions to mimic gradients as extracted from CFD simulations of large scale reactors.
- VUT as distinct knowledge in physiological feeding strategies, such as constant or dynamic specific uptake rates.
Research hypothesis
- With the scale down reactors with existing CFD simulations, effects of inhomogeneities in large scale reactors can be quickly assessed.
- Novel physiological feeding strategies can overcome impacts of inhomogeneities and therefore allow compensation scale up effects.
Contact:
Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. Christoph Herwig
Collaborators:
Danish research consortium
Consortium Lead, DTU, Denmark, Prof. Krist Gernaey
Dr. Jens Fricke