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Fermentors: Design, Types, and Applications in Biotechnology, Study notes of Microbiology

Periyar UniversityMicrobiology

A comprehensive overview of fermentors, also known as bioreactors, which are essential equipment in biotechnology for carrying out fermentation processes. It delves into the design, components, and properties of fermentors, highlighting their importance in producing various substances like antibiotics, enzymes, and beverages. The document also explores different types of fermentors, including stirred tank, airlift, fluidized bed, packed bed, and photo fermentors, outlining their advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, it discusses the role of computer applications in fermentation, covering aspects like measurement and analysis, modeling and control, and data management.

Typology: Study notes

2023/2024

Available from 11/06/2024

nidhish-kumar
nidhish-kumar 🇮🇳

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Fermentor:
A closed cylindrical vessel which supports the biochemical and chemical
activity of the microorganisms to carry the conversion of raw material into some
useful product. It is also called a bioreactor, as it makes the use of microbial
biomass to accomplish the fermentation process.
A Fermentor is a device used to accomplish the fermentation process by using
microorganisms, and for this reason, it is also called “Biofermentor
or Bioreactor“.
It is equipped with all the elements that are necessary to carry out the
commercial production of substances like antibiotics, enzymes, beverages etc.
in many industries.
Objectives:.
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Fermentor: A closed cylindrical vessel which supports the biochemical and chemical activity of the microorganisms to carry the conversion of raw material into some useful product. It is also called a bioreactor, as it makes the use of microbial biomass to accomplish the fermentation process. A Fermentor is a device used to accomplish the fermentation process by using microorganisms, and for this reason, it is also called “ Biofermentor or Bioreactor “. It is equipped with all the elements that are necessary to carry out the commercial production of substances like antibiotics, enzymes, beverages etc. in many industries. Objectives:.

  • It should give high productivity.
  • It should be able to handle the stream sterilization pressure.
  • There should be all the control parameters to monitor the fermentation process like pH electrode, temperature probe etc.
  • A material used in the fermentor should be cheap that could give satisfactory results. Design of Fermentor The construction of fermentor includes the following components:
  • Basic elements
  • Controlling elements Basic Elements Basic components are necessary for the construction of fermentor, which involves:
  • The bioreactor provides adequate aeration and agitation for uniform mixing of the contents in the vessel.
  • It should consume less power.
  • A fermentor must be equipped with controlling probes that can maintain the temperature, pH, oxygen level etc.
  • It facilitates the passage of inoculum and media into the vessel.
  • A bioreactor does not allow excessive evaporation loss.
  • It minimizes the labour input for the operation, harvesting, cleaning and maintenance. Types of Fermentor A fermentor is mainly of five types:
  1. Stirred tank fermentor
  2. Airlift fermentor
  3. Fluidised bed fermentor
  4. Packed bed fermentor
  5. Photo fermentor Stirred Tank Fermentor It consists of the motor driveshaft and a variable number of impellers (more than one). The impellers have a 1/ rd diameter of the vessel. The height and diameter ratio of this bioreactor is between 3:5. Air passes into the culture medium through a single orifice from the tube attached externally. It enables better distribution of the contents throughout the vessel. Its basic functions include:
  • Homogenization
  • Suspension of solid material
  • Aeration to the medium  Heat exchange In stirred tank fermentor, rotating stirrer and baffle are found either at the top or the bottom. It mainly uses the batch process of fermentation.

Advantages

  • It is easy to operate and easy to clean.
  • Provides a good temperature control.
  • The construction of stirred tank fermentor is quite simple.
  • It has a low operating cost.  It does not cause shear damage to the cells. Disadvantages
  • It cannot be used for immobilized cells or enzymes.  It has low volumetric productivity. Airlift Fermentor It consists of a single container inside which a hollow tube is present. This hollow tube called “ Draft tube ”. There is a gas flow inlet present at the bottom of the fermentor, which allows the passage of oxygen. Gas flow inlet is attached

Fluidized Bed Fermentor The top portion of this bioreactor is more expanded. This expansion reduces the velocity of the fluid. Its bottom part is slightly narrow. It is designed in such a way where:  The solid retain inside the vessel.  And, liquid flows out. An adequate amount of gas introduces into the medium to form a suitable gasliquid-solid fluidised bed. By using this kind of biofermentor one should note that the suspended particles should not be too light or too heavy and secondly, there should be continuous recycling of the medium for good bioprocessing. Advantages

  • Mixes the contents uniformly.
  • Maintains the uniform temperature gradient.
  • It can be used for continuous operation.
  • Produces higher volumetric productivity.  There is little or no clogging of particles.

Packed Bed Fermentor It consists of a cylindrical vessel and a packed bed with biocatalysts. The solid matrix that is used for the packed bed fermentor possess the following properties:

  • Porous or non-porous
  • Highly compressible
  • Rigid In this kind of biofermentor, a nutrient broth continuously flows over the immobilized biocatalyst. After that, a product releases into the fluid at the bottom of the culture vessel and finally, it can be removed. Here, the flow of fluid can be upward or downward. Advantages
  • It has a low operation cost.
  • Provides continuous operation.
  • Separation of the biocatalyst is easy.  It is widely used in wastewater engineering. Disadvantages
    • There are undesired heat gradients.
    • Poor temperature control.
  • Provides better control over the gas transfer.  Maintains uniform temperature gradient. Disadvantages  Expensive method to carry out.  There is a technical difficulty in the process of sterilization. Computer application in fermentation:
  1. Measurement and Analysis : o Integrated fermentor sampling and analysis systems leverage computers to monitor critical parameters during fermentation processes^1. o Structured modeling of bioreactor systems aids in understanding and predicting behavior^1.
  2. Modelling and Control : o Structured Modeling : Computers assist in modeling bioreactor systems, enabling better process understanding and optimization^1. o System Identification and Estimation : Techniques for system identification, parameter estimation, and state estimation enhance control strategies^1. o Process Control : Computer-controlled temperature induction during batch fermentations is crucial for producing recombinant DNA products^1.
  3. Data Management : o Efficient data management systems handle large volumes of data generated during fermentation^1. o These systems facilitate real-time monitoring, historical analysis, and decision-making