Ethanol is to be used as a substrate for single-cell protein production in a chemostat. The available equipment can achieve an oxygen transfer rate of 10 g O2/l of liquid per hour. Assume the kinetics of cell growth on ethanol is of the Monod type, with mm = 0.5 h–1, Ks = 30
mg/l, YX/S = 0.5 cells/g ethanol, and YO2/S = 2 g O2/g EtOH. We wish to operate the chemostat
with an ethanol concentration in the feed of 22 g/L. We also wish to maximize the biomass
productivity and minimize the loss of unused ethanol in the effluent. Determine the required
dilution rate and whether sufficient oxygen can be provided.