Abstract
This paper proposes a cell age model for Penicillium chrysogenum fed-batch cultivation to supply a qualitative insight into morphology-associated dynamics. The average ages of the segregated cell populations, such as growing cells, non-growing cells and intact productive cells, were estimated by this model. A combined model was obtained by incorporating the aver-age ages of the cell sub-populations into a known but modified segregated kinetic model from literature. For simulations, no additional effort was needed for parameter identification since the cell age model has no internal parameters. Validation of the combined model was per-formed by 20 charges of industrial-scale penicillin cultivation. Meanwhile, only two charge-dependent parameters were required in the combined model among approximately 20 parameters in total. The model is thus easily transformed into an adaptive model for a further application in on-line state variables prediction and optimal scheduling.