2. SCALE UP
• Scale up studies refers to the act of using results obtained from
laboratory studies for designing a prototype and a pilot plant process;
construction a pilot plant and using pilot plant data for designing and
constructing a full scale plant
3.
4.
5. WHY DO WE DO THIS?
• • A pilot plant allows investigation of a product and process on an
intermediate scale before large amounts of money are committed to
full-scale production.
• • It is usually not possible to predict the effects of a many- fold increase
in scale.
• • Scale up studies are studies carried out at the laboratory or even pilot
plant scale fermentors to yield data that could be used to to extrapolate
and build the large scale industrial fermentors with sufficient confidence
it will function properly with all its behaviours anticipated.
6. IMPORTANCE
• • More important during scale up exercises is that we are trying to build
industrial size fermenter capable or close of producing the fermentation
products as efficient as those produced in small scale fermenters.
• • It must be appreciated as the size of fermentation increases during
scale up various parameters measured might not show a predictable
linear co-relationships. Certain parameters changes. Some remained
constant. Some parameters need to be modified and adjusted during
scale up studies. The objective is to try to get the same fermentation
efficiency as obtained in small scale fermenters at the most economical
values.
7. IMPORTANCE
• •Determining the various operational parameters for optimized oxygen
supply to the fermentation process.
• •Selection of optimum operative modes of the fermenter
• •Determining the changes in rheological properties and its effect on the
fermentation process.
• •Modeling and formulation of process controls
• •Sensors and controls
There are few crucial studies which will only be answered by
carrying it out on the pilot plant such as:
8. STEPS IN SCALE UP
• Define product economics based on projected market size and competitive selling and
provide guidance for allowable manufacturing costs
• • Conduct laboratory studies and scale-up planning at the same time
• • Define key rate-controlling steps in the proposed process
• • Conduct preliminary larger-than-laboratory studies with equipment to be used in
rate-controlling step to aid in plant design
• • Design and construct a pilot plant including provisions for process and
environmental controls, cleaning and sanitizing systems, packaging and waste
handling systems, and meeting regulatory agency requirements
• • Evaluate pilot plant results (product and process) including process economics to
make any corrections and a decision on whether or not to proceed with a full scale
plant development
9. INITIAL SCALE UP STUDIES
• Most scale up studies are usually carried at different phases involving
different scales of fermenters.
• Preliminary work are carried out at the level of petri dishes and small
scale laboratory fermenters to establish whether the process is
technically viable, meaning it is possible to produce such fermentation
process and the products on the small scale.
• Additional parameters not provided by petri dishes studies and for more
confidence are obtained by carrying further studies using submerged
liquid fermentation using various sizes laboratory scale fermenters and
even a pilot plant fermenter.
10. RULES FOR SCALE-UP
• There are a few rules of the thumb followed when doing scale up studies
such as: Similarity in the geometry and configuration of fermenters used
in scaling up
• A minimum of three or four stages of increment in the scaling up of the
volume of fermentation studies. Each jump in scale should be by a
magnitude or power increase and not an increase of a few liters capacity.
Slight increase in the working volume would not yield significant data
for scale up operation
11. USES OF A PILOT PLANT
• • Evaluating the results of laboratory studies and making product and
process corrections and improvements
• • Producing small quantities of product for sensory, chemical,
microbiological evaluations, limited market testing or furnishing samples to
potential customers, shelf-live and storage stability studies
• • Determining possible salable by-products or waste stream requiring
treatment before discharge
• • Providing data that can be used in making a decision on whether or not to
proceed to a full-scale production process; and in the case of a positive
decision, designing and constructing a full-size plant or modifying an
existing plant
12. STUDIES CARRIED OUT DURING SCALE
UP
• 1. Inoculum development
• 2. Sterilization establishing the correct sterilization cycle at larger loads
• 3. Environmental parameters such as nutrient availability, pH,
temperature, dissolved oxygen, dissolved carbon dioxide,
• 4. Shear conditions, foam production
