A.J.B. van Boxtel

An evolutionary strategy for fed-batch bioreactor optimization : concepts and performance

An evolutionary program, based on a real-code genetic algorithm (GA), is applied to calculate optimal control policies for bioreactors. The GA is used as a nonlinear optimizer in combination with simulation software and constraint handling procedures. A new class of GA-operators is introduced to obtain smooth control trajectories, which leads also to a drastic reduction in computational load. The proposed method is easy to understand and has no restrictions on the model type and structure. The performance and optimal trajectories obtained by the extended GA are compared with those calculated with two common methods: (i) dynamic programming, and (ii) a Hamiltonian based gradient algorithm. The GA proved to be a good and often superior alternative for solving optimal control problems.

Process Integration for Food Drying with Air Dehumidified by Zeolites

Zeolites have potential to increase efficiency of medium-temperature drying in the food industry. This work concerns the comparison between conventional dryers and dryers using air dehumidified by zeolite. Steady-state mass and energy balances have been used and the work concerns drying temperatures ranging from 52 to 70°C. Process integration based on pinch analysis has been applied and nine different heat exchanger networks for energy recovery are compared. Results indicated that dryers using air dehumidifier by zeolites are 10–18% more efficient than conventional dryers.

Multistage Zeolite Drying for Energy-Efficient Drying

This work discusses the potential of three multistage zeolite drying systems (counter-, co-, and cross-current) with a varying number of stages. The evaluation showed that for 2–4 stages with heat recovery the efficiency of the systems ranges between 80 and 90%. Additionally, by introducing a compressor, the latent heat in the exhaust air from the regenerator is recovered and used to heat the inlet air for an additional drying stage. As a result, for the counter-current drying system and compressor pressure 1.5–2 bar, a maximum energy efficiency of 120% is achieved, which results in halving the energy consumption compared to conventional drying systems.

Darcian permeability constant as indicator for shear stresses in regular scaffold systems for tissue engineering

The shear stresses in printed scaffold systems for tissue engineering depend on the flow properties and void volume in the scaffold. In this work, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to simulate flow fields within porous scaffolds used for cell growth. From these models the shear stresses acting on the scaffold fibres are calculated. The results led to the conclusion that the Darcian (k1) permeability constant is a good predictor for the shear stresses in scaffold systems for tissue engineering. This permeability constant is easy to calculate from the distance between and thickness of the fibres used in a 3D printed scaffold. As a consequence computational effort and specialists for CFD can be circumvented by using this permeability constant to predict the shear stresses. If the permeability constant is below a critical value, cell growth within the specific scaffold design may cause a significant increase in shear stress. Such a design should therefore be avoided when the shear stress experienced by the cells should remain in the same order of magnitude.

Assessment of a Two-Stage Zeolite Dryer for Energy-Efficient Drying

Multistage adsorption drying with zeolite is experimentally evaluated for a single- and a two-stage dryer. For a 1:1 ratio between air flows for drying and regeneration, the energy efficiency for a single-stage system 50–54% and for the two-stage system 63%. Calculations with a calibrated model show that the two-stage system achieves a 4:1 ratio between the air flows an efficiency of 85%, 12% above that of a single-stage system. A sensitivity analysis shows the influence of operational conditions on the energy efficiency. Options to realize multistage adsorption dryer systems and to control such systems as well as the economic aspects are discussed.

Evaluation of the Free Volume Theory to Predict Moisture Transport and Quality Changes During Broccoli Drying

Moisture diffusion in porous broccoli florets and stalks is modeled using the free volume and Maxwell-Eucken theories. These theories are based on the mobility of water and concern the variation of the effective diffusion coefficient for a wide range of temperature and moisture content during product drying. Mass and heat transport, shrinkage, and vitamin C degradation during drying of broccoli are simulated by a spatial model. The effective diffusion coefficient varies strongly with product moisture content and temperature. Vitamin C degradation is high at moisture contents around 2 kg water/kg dry matter. The influence of the size of broccoli on the drying rate is evaluated for several types of broccoli florets and stalks.

Control of fluid bed tea dryers : controller design and tuning

Variations in moisture content of dried tea are considerable, hence the moisture control of tea dryers needs to be improved. An experimentally validated simulation model of a continuous fluid bed tea dryer was used to design a control system. Feedback from moisture sensing was found to give good results, but a predictor removes some of the effects of lag in the system. As an alternative to the high-cost moisture measurement, the use of exhaust temperature sensing in the feedback is evaluated. Direct feed back of air outlet temperature at a position two-thirds distance along the dryer does not provide effective control, but with use of inferential control good results are obtained. Normal disturbances in feed rate of 5%, which caused an increase in discharge moisture (wet basis) from 3 to 4.5% without control, were restricted to an increase to 3.4% moisture with direct feedback of exhaust temperature. This control error is eliminated by the use of an inferential estimator, which enables control of the discharge-moisture by using only a temperature measurement.

Improving Adsorption Dryer Energy Efficiency by Simultaneous Optimization and Heat Integration

Conventionally, energy-saving techniques in drying technology are sequential in nature. First, the dryer is optimized without heat recovery and then, based on the obtained process conditions, heat recovery possibilities are explored. This work presents a methodology for energy-efficient adsorption dryer design that considers sensible and latent heat recovery as an integral part of drying system design. A one-step pinch-based optimization problem is formulated to determine the operating conditions for optimal energy performance of such an integrated system subject to product quality. Because the inlet and target stream properties of the heat recovery network are determined by the adsorption drying conditions, they are unknown a priori and thus are determined simultaneously within the overall optimization using the pinch location method. Energy balances are written above and below the various pinch point possibilities and the optimal pinch point is that which minimizes the amount of external heating utility required while satisfying drying and thermodynamic constraints. Results for a single-stage zeolite adsorption drying process with simultaneous heat recovery optimization show a 15% improvement in efficiency compared to a sequentially optimized system. The improvement is traceable to alterations in enthalpy-related variables like temperatures and flow rates. The discrepancy in optimal operating conditions between the sequential and simultaneous cases underscores the need to change system operating conditions when retrofitting for heat recovery because previous optimal conditions become suboptimal when heat recovery is introduced. Also, compared to a conventional dryer (without an adsorption process) operating under similar conditions, energy consumption is reduced by about 55%.

Moisture Sorption Isotherms of Broccoli Interpreted with the Flory-Huggins Free Volume Theory

In this work, the Flory Huggins Free Volume theory is used to interpret the sorption isotherms of broccoli from its composition and using physical properties of the components. This theory considers the mixing properties of water, biopolymers and solutes and has the potential to describe the sorption isotherms for varying product moisture content, composition and temperature. The required physical properties of the pure components in food became available in recent years and allow now the prediction of the sorption isotherms with this theory. Sorption isotherm experiments have been performed for broccoli florets and stalks, at two temperatures. Experimental data shows that the Flory Huggins Free Volume (FHFV) theory represents the sorption isotherm of fresh and blanched broccoli samples accurately. The results also show that blanching affects the sorption isotherm due to the change of composition via leaching solutes and the change of interaction parameter due to protein denaturation.

Modeling of the Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) of Tarragon (Artemisia Dracunculus L.)

The equilibrium moisture content of tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus L. (stem and leaf separately) was determined by using the saturated salt solutions method at three temperatures (25, 50 and 70°C) within a range of 5 to 90% relative humidity. Both adsorption and desorption methods were used for stem and leaf of two varieties: Russian and French tarragon. Experimental curves of moisture sorption isotherms were fitted by modified Henderson, modified Halsey, modified Oswin, modified Chung-Pfost and GAB equations and evaluated by residual sum squares, standard error of estimate and mean relative deviation. The modified Halsey and GAB equations were found to be the most suitable for describing the relationship among equilibrium moisture content, relative humidity and temperature. There was no significant difference between the equilibrium moisture content of the Russian and French tarragon.