Mechanistic modeling of industrial fermentation processes for antibiotic production

An unstructured mechanistic model is proposed to describe the industrial-scale production of Fusidic Acid in fed-batch cultivations. The model accounts for differences in dead and viable biomass and the effect of the primary carbon source and oxygen on cell growth and production. The model parameter is calibrated, and performance is tested using experimental data obtained from an operating industrial production in Denmark. The model predicted the main product concentration with a relative mean error of 7%. These successful implementations open up opportunities for soft sensor implementations for key state variables but also set a good foundation for further model extensions, such as hybrid modeling.