By calculating the stoichiometric coefficients of a given process using the law of atoms and charges conservation, I found high values (323) for some stoichiometric coefficients while I generally observe values less or equal to 1 in most petersen matrixes. I want to know whether to divide the stoichiometric coefficients that I determined on a molar basis by the molar mass of biomass formed to obtain orders of magnitude (less or equal to 1) that I generally observed in petersen matrixes?
I guess that you are dealing with an aerobic bioprocess. If this is the case and all variables are expressed in oxygen (COD) units, it is easy to demonstrate that in COD units: Yx/s + Yo/s = 1. Thus, all stoichiometric coefficients per COD unit of oxidized substrate must be less that the unit.
Besides, if you are dealing with nitrification (in this case nitrogen is the source of energy) Yx/n + Yo/n = f; where f depends on the nitrogen initial and final oxidation states.
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