Bioprocess Design of an Astaxanthin Production Plant - IICarlos Julià Figueras, Marc Sánchez Farrando and Carme Pons Royo

New Block Flow Process Diagram

The aim of this project is the simulation of an industrial plant for the production of astaxanthin (3S,3’S), which is a carotenoid from the family of xanthophylls.Firstly, the project design was developed with the idea of being economically feasible and taking environmental feasibility into account, as much as it waspossible. When the first project was completed some solvents used in the downstream of the process were identified and classified as toxic or harmful for workersand environment. Then, an alternative generation of plausible designs was accomplished and an innovative downstream process has consequently beenimplemented. In this poster, the emphasis will be placed on the improvements achieved in this new industrial plant.

Improvements and results

Photobioreactor

New Process Flow Diagram

Downstream

Gantt chartConclusions

Introduction

Complete Recipe

P-1 in V-101

P-13 in ST-103

P-2 in AFR-101

P-14 in ST-101

P-18 in V-103

P-17 in ST-103

P-16 in AF-102

P-15 in AF-101

P-3 in V-102

P-4 in RVF-101

P-5 in MSX-101

P-6 in MSX-102

P-10 in RDR-101

P-8 in MX-102

P-7 in DX-101

P-24 in C-102

P-9 in CR-101

P-20 in TDR-101

Complete Recipe (Batch #2 )

Complete Recipe (Batch #3 )

Complete Recipe (Batch #4 )

P-1 in V-101

P-13 in ST-103

P-2 in AFR-101

P-14 in ST-101

P-18 in V-103

P-17 in ST-103

P-16 in AF-102

P-15 in AF-101

P-3 in V-102

P-4 in RVF-101

P-5 in MSX-101

P-6 in MSX-102

P-10 in RDR-101

P-8 in MX-102

P-7 in DX-101

P-24 in C-102

P-9 in CR-101

P-20 in TDR-101

h8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96 104 112 120 128 136 144 152 160 168 176 184 192 200 208 216 224 232 240 248 256 264 272 280 288 296 304 312 320hday1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13day

An example oftime optimizationis shown in theupstream section.

Within this diagram, the complexity of this project can be widely observed. It has beendeveloped by SuperPro Designer® software (Intelligen, Inc.). The production process isdivided into five coloured sections: upstream, bioreaction, downstream, polishing andformulation and packaging. The plant works on discontinuous mode (photobioreactorin fed-batch mode). Willing to accomplish an annual production of 200 kg, there wasthe necessity of introducing three indoor airlift LED-based photobioreactors. As seenin the left image, the light phase of the olive oil extraction is recirculated with itsrespective purge. The bottleneck of the process is the photobioreactor, lasting for 86.68hours (0.067 g/l of biomass). The product is obtained with a purity of, at least, 98.8%.

Haematococcus pluvialis cells aregrown in a mixotrophic medium(acetate) at 30°C. Its maximalgrowth rate is 0.028 h-1.

The cells obtained in the first stage are then exposed to environmental stresses(nitrogen deprivation and light intensity increase) to trigger the production of thesecondary metabolite astaxanthin.

P1 and P2 (inoculum preparation andphotobioreactor) are temporally connected.Additionally, SIP and CIP are correctlyimplemented before and after each process.

• 48 h in total.• 36 h extraction.• 93.71% recovery yield.• Light phase: olive oil.

Mixer-­‐settler• 6.75 h in total.• 90% recovery yield.• Two-solvent phase.• Light phase: ethyl

acetate – hexane.• Heavy phase:

ethanol – water.

Differential  extractor• 7.08 h in total.• Solvent pre-evaporation

at 110°C.• 99% crystallization yield.

Crystallizer

• Replacement of the dodecane extraction for one based on olive oil.• Removal of the methanol solvent in excess.• Replacement of the dichloromethane chromatography for a differential

extraction.• Replacement of the settler tank after chromatography for a distillation.• Changes in crystallization conditions.• Addition of a tray dryer.• Formulation of the product.

Improvements

Results• Main environmentally controversial effluents removed.• Slight decrease in the total amount of astaxanthin produced.• Higher product purity: >98.8%.

Green  stage

Red  stage

Photobioreactor (first photo): Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen outdoors tubular photobioreactor [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.wageningenur.nl/upload_mm/a/9/4/2219ac96-4383-4ba6-8525-21da766c9e23_20110526_ALGAE_0001bew_490x330.jpg [Accessed 14 May 15].Photobioreactor (second photo): Hank Schultz (NutraIngredients-USA), BGG's photobioreactor for astaxanthin production [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/var/plain_site/storage/images/publications/food-beverage-nutrition/nutraingredients-usa.com/suppliers2/chinese-suppliers-angling-to-snare-bigger-share-of-natural-astaxanthin-market/9818441-1-eng-GB/Chinese-suppliers-angling-to-snare-bigger-share-of-natural-astaxanthin-market_strict_xxl.jpg [Accessed 14 May 15].Downstream (first photo): Ben Carpenter, Extractor tank [ONLINE]. Available at: http://resume.jbcarps.com/?page_id=23 [Accessed 14 May 15].Downstream (second photo): KMPS (Koch Modular Process Systems, LLC.), SCHEIBEL® Extraction Column [ONLINE]. Available at: http://modularprocess.com/liquid-extraction/extraction-column-types/scheibel-columns/ [Accessed 14 May 15].Downstream (third photo):TSK (Tsukishima Kikai), Crystallizer [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.tsk-g.co.jp/en/tech/equip/crystallizer_b.html [Accessed 14 May 15].

By gathering information through research articles and patents, this project has beenredesigned with success. Under no circumstances, did we have in mind reducing the totalannual amount of astaxanthin produced (198,32 kg/yr) compared with the original project.However, reducing the environmentally unfriendly effluents had its consequences.Further details on economic and environmental impact assessments are exposed in thethird part of this project.

*  This  equipment   is  an  example  of  the  procedure  units  encircled  in  the  Novel  Process  Flow  Diagram.

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