Industrial and environmental bioprocesses

In this subject, a set of contents is approached in a global and integrated way that provide the Graduate in Biotechnology with the necessary perspective to take part in the correct conception, installation or operation of an industrial bioprocess. Specifically, the following objectives are pursued:
-To identify and distinguish the different elements of the process flow diagrams of industrial biotechnological processes.
-To list the sustainability requirements in bioprocesses from a life cycle perspective.
-To apply software packages for the simulation and modeling of bioprocesses.
-To solve eco-efficiency problems.

-Bioprocess studies. Production of enzymes, antibiotics, amino acids and pharmaceutical compounds. Biofuels. Biopolymers.
-Sustainability. Tools for analysis of environmental sustainability and eco-efficiency.
-Simulation and mathematical modeling of industrial biotechnological processes.
-Basic aspects of optimization.

These contents are structured in the following blocks:

LECTURERS (20 h)
Block I: Types of bioprocesses within white biotechnology: enzymes, antibiotics, amino acids and pharmaceutical compounds. Biofuels. Bioplastics. Bioprocess analysis. Structure and synthesis of bioprocess flowcharts. Stages of pretreatment (sterilization), bioreaction and separation ("downstreaming"). Biorefinery concept. Types of biorefineries (oils, lignocellulose, sugars, proteins, biogas, etc).

Block II: Environmental benefits and sustainability. Environmental analysis of bioprocesses. Sustainable development goals. circular economy. Environmental management tools based on life cycle. Life cycle analysis, carbon footprint and water footprint. Ecodesign. Basic aspects of energy integration.

SEMINARS (5 h)
Three seminars will be dedicated to solving sterilization problems, necessary for conditioning in bioprocesses, and separation operations most commonly used in "downstreaming" (filtration, centrifugation, adsorption, etc.). Another seminar will be used in the presentation of a bioprocess and the last in the presentation of a scientific article on an environmental analysis of a bioprocess

COMPUTER LAB (12 h)
Simulation of industrial bioprocesses, environmental and energy analysis of bioprocesses using SuperProDesigner.

GROUP TUTORIAL (1.5 h)
Within the budgetary possibilities, a technical visit to an industrial facility is considered. If this is not possible, it will be used to resolve doubts about the exam.

Bibliografía básica
DORAN, P.M. Bioprocess Engineering Principles. 2nd edition. Amsterdam. Elsevier, 2013. Recurso electrónico. ISBN 978-0-12-220851-5.

DIAZ, M. Ingeniería de Bioprocesos. Madrid. Ed. Paraninfo, 2012. ISBN 978-8-42-838123-9.

Bibliografía complementaria
SEIDER, W.D., LEWIN, D.R., SEADER, J.D., WIDAGDO, S., GANI, R. e NG, K.M. Product and Process Design Principles: Synthesis, Analysis, and Evaluation, 4ª ed. John Wiley and Sons, 2019. ISBN: 978-1-119-63696-0.

TURTON, R., BAILIE, R.C., WHITING, W.B. e SHAEIWITZ, J.A. Analysis, Synthesis and Design of Chemical Processes, 4ª ed. Upper Saddle, NJ, EE.UU: Prentice Hall, 2013. ISBN 978-0-13-261812-0.

HAUSCHILD, M.Z., ROSENBAUM, R.K., OLSEN, S.I. Life Cycle Assessment: theory and practice. Gewerbestrasse, Springer, 2018. ISBN 978-3-31-956474-6

SIMPSON, R. y SASTRY, S.K. Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering. New York, Springer-Verlag, 2013. Recurso electrónico. ISBN 978-1-4614-9126-2.

Con01: Know the most important concepts, methods and results of the different branches of Biotechnology.
Con03: Have knowledge about balances and transfers of matter and energy, applied thermodynamics and separation operations, as well as knowing how to apply them to the resolution of engineering problems.
H/D01: Think in an integrated way and approach problems from different perspectives with critical reasoning.
H/D02: Search, process, analyze/interpret and synthesize relevant information and results from various sources and obtain conclusions on topics related to biotechnology field.
H/D14: Know how to analyze and design biotechnological industrial processes and apply them to the improvement of processes and products with sustainability and quality management criteria related to Biotechnology
Comp04: That students know how to apply the theoretical-practical knowledge acquired in the degree in a professional manner and are competent in posing/solving problems, as well as in developing/defending arguments in both academic and professional contexts related to innovation. and the biotechnology industry.
Comp08: Clearly appreciate the ethical, social, economic and environmental implications of the professional activity to be carried out, as well as know and apply biotechnological risk assessment criteria.

In the lectures, a master-class teaching to present the contents will be combined with the practical resolution of exercises that illustrate the theoretical contents.

The seminars will focus on the resolution of case-studies, sometimes individually and sometimes in groups, in order to emphasize and complement the contents seen in the lectures. The students will deliver some tasks developed during the seminars for evaluation. Attendance at this activity is mandatory.

The active participation of the students both in the lectures and in the seminars will be sought and encouraged.

In the computer lab, specific software will be used (energy integration, bioprocess simulation), as well as the Excel spreadsheet, to carry out practical cases related to the theoretical contents seen in the lectures. Attendance at this activity is mandatory.

If possible, a visit will be made to a biotechnology company and the students will be asked to prepare a questionnaire with aspects related to the company and process.

During the first week of the course, the compulsory completion of a work will be indicated, which will be presented at the last seminar session. Individual tutorials will be used to monitor the progress of the work.

The Learning Management System (LMS) will be used with the following objectives:
• To provide information on the subject (teaching guide, schedules, exams, announcements, etc.).
• To provide the didactic material for the classes (chapter slides, case-studies, complementary material, etc.).
• To serve as a means of communication between students and teachers.
• To deliver the tasks.

The MS Teams tool will be also used as a means of virtual student-teacher communication.

Final Exam. A final exam will be carried out that will have a weight of 50%, needing to achieve a minimum of 4 points out of 10 to be able to compensate for the subject. The exam will have a theoretical part (short questions) with a weight of 50%, and a practical part with a weight of 50%. In each separate part, a minimum of 3.5 out of 10 must be achieved to be able to compensate.

Computer classroom. The activities in the computer classroom will have a weight of 25% of the final grade of the subject. It is mandatory to carry out this activity.

Activities. The proposed activities, including mandatory work, will have a weight of 15% in the final grade.

Group tuorial. The participation of students in the technical visit or report on the same will have a joint weight of 5% in the final grade in the event that it is carried out.

Teacher report: 5%. Active participation (asking questions or answers) will be valued in expository and interactive classes.

Before taking the final exam, students will review the grades obtained in other evaluable sections.

For second-chance assessment, all grades from activities assessed during the course will be kept, except for the final exam; of such success that the students will only have to take a new final exam.

Students who do not carry out any of the obligatory activities that can be validated will be considered NOT PRESENTED.

For cases of fraudulent completion of exercises or tests, the "Regulations for the evaluation of student academic performance and review of grades" will apply.

Below, the competencies endorsed in each item are indicated:
-Final exam: Con01, Con03, H/D001, H/D002, H/D014, Comp4
-Computer classroom:H/D001, H/D002, H/D014, Comp4
-Activities:: H/D001, H/D002, Comp4
-Group supervision:Con01, H/D001, H/D002
-Teacher report: Con01, Con03 H/D001, H/D002, H/D014, Comp4, Comp8

The following table indicates the hours foreseen for each activity:

Activity ........................Face-to-face (h)
Lecturers ...................................20
Seminars........................ ....... 5
Computer lab............. ...........12
Group tutorial................. .......1,5
Student personal work................71,5
Exam and revision............... .......2,5

• Attendance and participation in class is recommended.
• It is recommended to use the Learning Management System of the subject and the tutorials to solve any doubts that may arise.
• It is recommended to have passed the following subjects: Fundamentals of biological processes. Thermodynamics and kinetics. Fluid transport and heat transmission. Mass transfer. Bioreactors. Environmental biotechnology.

Classes will be taught in Spanish/Galician, although didactic material will be handled in English.