Economic Optimizing Control for Single-Cell Protein Production in a U-Loop Reactor

The production of single-cell protein (SCP) in a U-loop reactor by a methanotroph is a cost efficient sustainable alternative to protein from fish meal obtained by over-fishing the oceans. SCP serves as animal feed. In this paper, we present a mathematical model that describes the dynamics of SCP production in a U-loop reactor. We use this model to compute an optimal start-up trajectory by solution of an economic optimizing optimal control problem. The optimal start-up trajectory is an unstable attractor. The practical implementation of this optimal start-up trajectory can be conducted by a proportional controller for the substrate concentration in the top tank of the U-loop reactor.