fermenter,fermentation,bioreacter,types of bioreacter,parts of bioreacter,function of each parts,requirements of bioreacter,fermenter design

1. By
Aseebudheen pp
4th year B pharm
RVS cops

2.  FERMENTATION:
The chemical breakdown of a substance by
bacteria, yeasts, or other microorganisms,typically
involving effervescence and the giving off of heat
 FERMENTER/BIOREACTOR:
A bioreactor is a specially designed vessel which
is built to support the growth of high concentration of
microorganisms. It must be so designed that it is able
to provide the optimum environments or conditions
that will allow supporting the growth of the
microorganisms.

3. 1. STIRRED TANK FERMENTER
2. AIR-LIFT FERMENTER
3. FLUIDISED BED BIOREACTOR(FPB)
4. PACKED BED BIOREACTOR
5. BUBBLE COLUMN FERMENTER

4.  Stirred tank reactor’s have the following functions:
homogenization, suspension of solids, dispersion of gas-
liquid mixtures, aeration of liquid and heat exchange.
The Stirred tank reactor is provided with a baffle and a
rotating stirrer is attached either at the top or at the
bottom of the bioreactor. The typical decision variables
are: type, size, location and the number of impellers;
sparger size and location. These determine the
hydrodynamic pattern in the reactor, which in turn
influence mixing times, mass and heat transfer
coefficients, shear rates etc.
 The Stirred tank reactor’s offer excellent mixing and
reasonably good mass transfer rates. The cost of
operation is lower and the reactors can be used with a
variety of microbial species

5.  Airlift fermenter (ALF) is generally classified as pneumatic reactors
without any mechanical stirring arrangements for mixing. The
turbulence caused by the fluid flow ensures adequate mixing of the
liquid. The draft tube is provided in the central section of the
reactor. The introduction of the fluid (air/liquid) causes upward
motion and results in circulatory flow in the entire reactor.
 The air/liquid velocities will be low and hence the energy
consumption is also low. ALFs can be used for both free and
immobilized cells. There are very few reports on ALFs for
metabolite production.
 The advantages of Airlift reactors are the elimination of attrition
effects generally encountered in mechanical agitated reactors. It is
ideally suited for aerobic cultures since oxygen mass transfer
coefficient are quite high in comparison to stirred tank reactors.
This is ideal for SCP production from methanol as carbon substrate.
 This is used mainly to avoid excess heat produced during
mechanical agitation

6.  Fluidized bed bioreactors (FBB) have received increased
attention in the recent years due to their advantages over
other types of reactors. Most of the FBBs developed for
biological systems involving cells as biocatalysts are
three phase systems (solid, liquid & gas). The
fundamentals of three phase fluidization phenomena
have been comprehensively covered in chemical
engineering literature
 Usually fluidization is obtained either by external liquid
re-circulation or by gas fed to the reactor
 The volumetric productivity attained in FBBs is usually
higher than in stirred tank and packed bed bioreactor

7.  Packed bed or fixed bed bioreactors are commonly used
with attached biofilms especiallyin wastewater
engineering. The use of packed bed reactors gained
importance after the potential of whole cell
immobilization technique has been demonstrated.
 The immobilized biocatalyst is packed in the column
and fed with nutrients either from top or from bottom.
 One of the disadvantages of packed beds is the changed
flow characteristic due to alterations in the bed porosity
during operation.
 The packed bed reactors are widely used with
immobilized cells. Several modifications such as tapered
beds to reduce the pressure drop across the length of the
reactor, inclined bed, horizontal bed, rotary horizontal
reactors have been tried with limited success.

8.  Bubble column fermenter is a simplest type of tower
fermenter consisting of a tube which is air sparged at
the base.
It is an elongated non-mechanically stirred fermenter
with an aspect ratio of 6:1. This type of fermenter
was used for citric acid production

9. STIRRED TANK FERMENTER AIR-LIFT FERMENTER FLUIDISED BED BIOREACTOR
PACKED BED BIOREACTOR BUBBLE COLUMN FERMENTER

11. 1) IMPELLER
2) SPARGER
3) BAFFLES
4) INLET AIR FILTER
5) EXHUST AIR FILTER
6) ROTAMETER
7) PRESSURE GUAGE
8) TEMPERATURE
PROB
9) COOLING JACKET
10) PH PROBE
11) DISSOLVE OXYGEN
PROB
12) LEVEL PROB
13) FOAM PROB
14) ACID
15) BASE
16) ANTIFOAM
17) SAMPLINGPINT
18) VALVES
19) CONTROL PANAL

13.  1. The vessel should be robust and strong enough to
withstand the various treatments required such as exposure
to high heat, pressure and strong chemicals and washings
and cleanings.
 2. The vessel should be able to be sterilized and to maintain
stringent aseptic conditions over long periods of the actual
fermentation process.
 3. The vessel should be equipped with stirrers or mixers to
ensure mass transfer processes occur efficiently.
 4. It should have sensors to monitor and control the
fermentation process.
 5. It should be provided with inoculation point for aseptic
transfer in inoculum.

14.  6. Sampling valve for withdrawing a sample for different
tests
 7. Baffles should be provided in case of stirred fermenter
to prevent vertex formation.
 8. It should be provided with facility for intermittent
addition of an antifoam agent.
 9. In case of aerobic submerged fermentation, the tank
should be equipped with the aerating device.
 10. Provision for controlling temperature and pH of
fermentation medium.
 11. Man hole should be provided at the top for access
inside the fermenter for different purposes.

15. What should be the basic points of consideration
while designing a fermenter?
• Productivity and yield
• Fermenter operability and reliability
• Product purification
• Water management
• Energy requirements
• Waste treatment