FERMENTATION TANK DESIGN
Objective
Simulate fluid mixing and heat transfer Determine influence of cone angle on fluid mixing and temperature distribution Locate temperature sensors for accurate process control
Results
Velocity distribution and streamlines indicating fluid mixing within tank Isotherms describing fluid temperature distribution & mean temperature inside fermentation tank Design evaluations for different process parameters - Cone angle at tank bottom - Rate of heat generation in fluid Location of sensor for better temperature control
Benefits
Provide understanding of complex fluid mechanics and heat transfer occurring inside tank Enable chemists to observe in fermentation mechanics that are difficult to measure experimentally Minimize cost of building and testing Improve process control through better understanding of system
Process Parameters
Tank capacity - Liquid depth Temperature control - Number and location of sensors Fermentation tank shape - Cone angle, diameter, height	Type of cooling system - Cooling jacket - Internal coils - Outside cooler Cooling media temperature - Glycol, ammonia, Freon
Performance Evaluations
Temperature uniformity Residence time of product at high temperature zones Uniform chemical concentration	Counter rotating vortices that - Tend to isolate regions of fluid from   bulk of tank - Degrades amount of convective   heat exchange