COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS OF TRANSIENT RESPONSE TO QUANTITATIVE SHOCK LOADINGS OF HETEROGENEOUS POPULATIONS IN CONTINUOUS CULTURE

Heterogeneous populations of sewage origin were grown aerobically on a synthetic waste (glucose as carbon source) in a continuous-flow completely mixed reactor. After establishment of a “steady-state” condition, the system was subjected to a threefold step increase in feed concentration and the transient response was observed. The transient value of cell yield was not constant; the transient values of the specific growth rate constant were not consistent with those predicted by the Monod equation at various substrate concentrations observed during the transient state. Experimental evidence of “growth rate hysteresis” was obtained. © 1969, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.