Engineering analysis of growth behavior of the high density heterotrophic cultivation of mung bean sprouts

To establish a cultivation process in high density cultivation of mung bean sprouts, heterotrophic growth behavior and the efficiency in high density cultivation were evaluated. In a growing test of mung bean in individual cultivation in test tubes and high density cultivation in single beds, courses of temperature, fresh weight, oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration were measured, and specific growth rate, specific oxygen uptake rate, specific carbon dioxide evolution rate were investigated. In the individual cultivation and the high density cultivation, it was show that the growth stage was divided by different physiological states into the early stage of cultivation, the middle stage, and the late stage. When amount of sprinkled water is 0.6 t/h/cart in high density cultivation, effectiveness factor on fresh weight value maintained higher during cultivation time. Compared with 0.6 t/h/cart sprinkled water, high density cultivation with 0.4 t/h/cart sprinkled water has decreased effectiveness factor on fresh weight, and increased temperature in the lower layer and varied distribution of fresh weight and sprouts shape in a vertical direction in packed bed were investigated. These results suggest controlling the amount of sprinkled water may promote mass transfer and heat exchange, which contribute high productivity of high density cultivation.