Modeling, Optimization, and Control in Fermentation Processes

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to invite you to this Special Issue on modeling, simulation, optimization, state estimation, and control in fermentation processes in the journal Fermentation. Process engineering plays a crucial role in bioprocesses including the production of food, fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels. The complexity of biochemical reactions in fermentation often makes it challenging to achieve optimal performance, such as higher productivity in biofuels or enhancing specific aromas in foods such as wines and beers.

The first step to achieving the best results is understanding the phenomenon and translating this knowledge into a mathematical model. The quality of the model depends on its ability to predict process behavior accurately while remaining simple enough to incorporate subsequent design stages. Th model can then be used to replicate the process behavior under different conditions (the simulation problem) and to find the best conditions for optimal performance (the optimization problem). Once optimal operating conditions are determined, actions must ensure that key fermentation variables (pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, agitation speed, etc.) reach their optimal values (the control problem). Additionally, for process control and monitoring, it is necessary to design state observers to estimate variables that cannot be directly measured.

This Special Issue of Fermentation aims to present the latest advances in modeling, simulation, optimization, control, and state estimation. By utilizing the tools of process engineering, we aim to achieve the best possible performance in different fermentation processes.

Prof. Dr. Gustavo Scaglia
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fermentation is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• dynamic models
• multivariable systems
• temperature profiles
• solid state fermentation
• Luedeking and Piret
• mathematical modeling
• first order plus dead time model
• biocontrol
• process optimization
• trajectory tracking control
• online monitoring
• batch and fed-batch bioprocesses
• non-linear and multivariable systems
• state estimation, Gaussian processes
• precision fermentation
• artificial intelligence (AI)