Design of fermentor

1. Design of Fermentor
Dr. Vijay Sharma

2. Fermentor
• A fermentor (bioreactor) is a closed vessel
with adequate arrangement for aeration,
agitation, temperature and pH control,
and drain or overflow vent to remove the
waste biomass of cultured
microorganisms along-with their
products.

3. • A fermentor is a device in which a
substrate of low value is utilized by living
cells or enzymes to generate a product of
higher value.
• Fermentors are extensively used for food
processing, fermentation, waste treatment,
etc.
Fermentor

4. Difference between
bioreactors and fermentors
Bioreactor Fermentor
Bioreactor is the vessel that facilitates
various types of biochemical reactions
Fermentor is the vessel that
facilitates fermentation.
Allow biochemical reaction of all types. Allow only fermengtation.
It is vessel in which all biochemical
reactions are occurs.
It is a type of biorector to facilitate
fermentation only.
Bioreactors are used in the production of
medicines, pharmaceutical products,
antibodies or vaccines
Fermenters are used to produce lactic acid
or ethanol.

5. IDEAL PROPERTIES OF A GOOD
FERMENTOR
A good fermentor must have provision for
I. Agitation (for mixing of cells and medium),
II. Aeration (for O2 supply),
III. Controller for temperature, pH, pressure,
aeration, nutrient feeding, liquid level etc.,
IV. Sterilization and maintenance of sterility,
V. Outlet to withdraw cells/medium.

6. Design of a conventional
Fermentor
Cooling
Jacket

7.  Inlet for media supplies the nutrient media essential for the growth
and survival of microorgnisms.
 Inoculum supplies to the reaction medium the microorganisms,
which degrade the organic substrates.
 The fermentor is fitted externally with a cooling jacket through which
steam (for sterilization) or cooling water (for cooling) is run.
 Cooling jacket is necessary because sterilization of the nutrient
medium and removal of the heat generated are obligatory for
successful completion of the fermentation in the fermentor.
 For very large fermentors, insufficient heat transfer takes place
through the jacket and therefore, internal coils are provided through
which either steam or cooling water is run.
1. INLET FOR MEDIA
2.INOCULUM
3. COOLING JACKET

8. • In case of high microbial population density,
• There is a tremendous oxygen demand by the culture,
• Oxygen being poorly soluble in water hardly transfers
rapidly throughout the growth medium.
• Therefore it becomes necessary, to supply oxygen
throughout the culture using aeration system.
• The sparger is typically just a series of holes in a metal ring
or a nozzle through which filter-sterilized air (or oxygen-
enriched air) passes into the fermentor under high
pressure.
• The air enters the fermentor as a series of tiny bubbles
from which the oxygen passes by diffusion into the liquid
culture medium.
4. AERATION SYSTEM
5. SPARGER

9. • The impeller (also called agitator) is an agitating device
necessary for stirring of the fermentor.
• The stirring accomplishes two things:
• (i) It mixes the gas bubbles through the liquid culture
medium and
• (ii) It mixes the microbial cells through the liquid culture
medium.
• Stirring ensures uniform access of microbial cells to the
nutrients.
• Ideally, the impeller should be 1/3 of the fermentors
diameter fitted above the base of the fermentor.
6. IMPELLERS

10. • The baffles are normally incorporated into fermentors of
all sizes to prevent a vortex and to improve aeration
efficiency.
• They are metal strips roughly one-tenth of the fermentors
diameter and attached radially to the walls.
• For optimum fermentation, it is essential to control the
process by altering environmental parameters as the
process proceeds.
• For this purpose, various automatic devices are used in a
fermentor.
• Environmental factors that are frequently controlled
includes temperature, oxygen concentration, pH, cells
mass, levels of key nutrients, and product concentration.
7. BAFFLES
8. CONTROLLING DEVICES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
FACTORS

11. Thank You