UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF

BIOTECHNOLOGY
Bachelor of Sciences (Biotechnology)
Bioprocess and Fermentation
BTT-202

Presented by: Mr. Sunny Dhiman

Assistant Professor
DISCOVER . LEARN .
UIBT, Chandigarh University
EMPOWER
FERMENTER
DESIGN
 Introduction
Bioreactor Fermenter
• A bioreactor can be defined as • However a fermenter can be
an apparatus, such as a large defined as an apparatus that
fermentation chamber, for maintains optimal conditions
growing organisms such as for the growth of
bacteria or yeast that are microorganisms, used in large-
used in the biotechnological scale fermentation and in the
manufacture of substances commercial production of
such as pharmaceuticals, antibiotics and hormones
antibodies, or vaccines, or for
the bioconversion of organic
waste.
 Introduction
The function of the fermenter or bioreactor is to provide a
suitable environment in which an organism can efficiently
produce a target product—the target product might be

• Cell biomass
• Metabolite
• Bioconversion Product

The sizes of the bioreactor can vary over several orders of

magnitudes.
The microbial cell culture (few mm3), shake flask ( 100 -1000
ml), laboratory fermenter ( 1 – 15 L), pilot scale (0.3 – 10 m3) to
plant scale ( 2 – 500 m3) are all examples of bioreactors.
 Factors affecting performance of
fermenter
The performance of any fermenter depends on the following key
factors:
• Agitation rate
• Oxygen transfer
• pH
• Temperature
• Foam production
The design and mode of operation of a fermenter mainly depends
on the production organism, the optimal operating condition
required for target product formation, product value and scale of
production.
The design also takes into consideration the capital investment
and running cost.
 Important factors to be considered in
designing fermenters

• Large volume and low value products like alcoholic beverages need
simple fermenters and do not need aseptic condition.
• High value and low volume products require more elaborate system of
operation and aseptic condition.
• The Designing of a Bioreactor also has to take into considerations the
Unique Aspects of Biological Processes:
 Fermenter design
A good fermenter should have:
 Heat and oxygen transfer configuration
 Sterilization procedures
 Foam control
 Fast and thorough cleaning system
 Proper monitoring and control system

Traditional design is open cylindrical or rectangular vessels made from

wood or stone.
Most fermentations are now performed in close system to avoid
contamination.
It should be constructed from non-toxic, corrosion-resistant materials.
Small fermentation vessels of a few liters capacity are constructed from
glass and/or stainless steel.
 Size of Fermenters
The size of fermentors ranges from 1-2 litre laboratory fementors
to 5,00,000 litre or, occasionally, even more, fermentors of upto
1.2 million litres have been used. The size of the fermentor used
depends on the process and how it is operated.
 Fermenter Design
• Industrial fermentors can be divided into two major
classes, anaerobic and aerobic.
• Anaerobic fermentors require little special
equipment except for removal of heat generated
during the fermentation process, whereas aerobic
fermentors require much more elaborate equipment
to ensure that mixing and adequate aeration are
achieved.
Fermenter / bioreactor general appearance
 Fermenter configuration
• Cooling Jacket
• Large-scale industrial fermenters are almost always
constructed of stainless steel.
• A fermentor is a large cylinder closed at the top and the
bottom and various pipes and valves are fitted into it.
• The fermentor is fitted externally with a cooling jacket
through which steam (for sterilization) or cooling water (for
cooling) is run.
 Fermenter configuration
• Cooling Jacket
• 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 fermenter. For very large fermenters, insufficient heat
transfer takes place through the jacket and therefore, internal
coils are provided through which either steam or cooling
water is run. .
 Fermenter configuration
• Aeration System: Aeration system is one of the most
critical part of a fermenter.
• In a fermenter with a high microbial population density, there
is a tremendous oxygen demand by the culture, but oxygen
being poorly soluble in water hardly transfers rapidly
throughout the growth medium.
• Thus a good aeration system is necessary to ensure proper
aeration an oxygen availability throughout the culture.
However, two separate aeration devices are used to ensure
proper aeration in fermenter. These devices are sparger and
impeller.
 Fermenter configuration
• 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.
 Fermenter configuration
• Agitation System:
• The impeller (also called agitator) is an agitating device necessary for stirring
of the fermenter.

• 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. In this way,
the stirring ensures uniform access of microbial cells to the nutrients.
• The size and position of the impeller in the fermenter depends upon the size
of the fermenter. In tall fermenters, more than one impeller is needed if
adequate aeration and agitation is to be obtained. Ideally, the impeller should
be 1/3 of the fermenters diameter fitted above the base of the fermenter. The
number of impeller may vary from size to size to the fermenter.
 Fermenter configuration
• Agitation System:
• The size and position of the impeller in the fermentor depends
upon the size of the fermentor.
• In tall fermentors, more than one impeller is needed if
adequate aeration and agitation is to be obtained.

• Ideally, the impeller should be 1/3 of the fermentors diameter

fitted above the base of the fermentor.

• The number of impeller may vary from size to size to the

fermentor.
 Fermenter configuration
• Baffles::
• 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.
 Fermenter configuration
• Controlling Devices for Environmental Factors:
In any microbial fermentation, it is necessary not only to
measure growth and product formation but also to control
the process by altering environmental parameters as the
process proceeds.
• For this purpose, various 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.
 Fermenter configuration
• Use of Computer in Fermentor: Computer
technology has produced a remarkable impact in
fermentation work in recent years and the computers are
used to model fermentation processes in industrial
fermentors. Integration of computers into fermentation
systems is based on the computers capacity for process
monitoring, data acquisition, data storage, and error-
detection.
Component parts
of a fermenter
1. round bottom , top
plate
2. Seal
3. Sample pipe
4. Port fittings of various
sizes
5. special inoculation port
6. Air sparger
7. A drive motor
8. Drive shaft
9. Impellers
10. Baffles
11. Air filter
 Cont.
12. Dissolved oxygen
electrode
13. pH electrode
14. Antifoam probe
15. Cooling Valve
16. Heater pad
17. Pt-100 temperature
sensor
18. Cold finger
19. Reagent bottles
20.Sample device
21. controller base unit
Construction material
• Glass and/or stainless steel

• Glass vessel with a round or flat bottom and

a top flanged carrying plate – Can be
sterilized by autoclaving

• A glass cylinder with stainless-steel top and

bottom plates- Can be sterilized in situ

• Pilot-scale and industrial scale – stainless

steel
Construction material
Aseptic seal – made between glass
and glass, glass and metal or metal
and metal joints between
fermenter vessel and a detachable
top or base plate
Temperature control
Temperature is controlled by use
of internal heating coils or by a
thermal jacket through which
water is circulated
Structural components involved in aeration
and agitation
• Agitator (impeller)

• Stirrer glands and bearings

• Baffles

• Aeration system (sparger)

 Agitator (impeller)

• Achieve mixing objectives – bulk

fluid and gas-phase mixing, oxygen
transfer, heat transfer, suspension of
solid particles and maintaining
uniform environment throughout
vessel contents
• Impellers should be one-third to one-
half of the vessel diameter (D)
 Types

• 4 Types of impellers
 Disc turbine
 Vaned disc
 Open turbine
 Marine propeller
Agitators(Impellers)
Types
 Stirrer glands and bearings

• Stirrer shaft can enter the vessel from the top, side and bottom of the
vessel.
• Top entry is more common but bottom entry can be advantageous if
more entry ports are required on the top plate.
• A number of different designs have been developed to obtain aseptic
seals.

• Four basic types of seal assembly have been used:

 The packed-gland seals
 Bush seals
 The mechanical seal
 Magnetic drives
 Baffles

• Baffles are incorporated into agitated vessels of

all sizes to prevent vortex and to improve
aeration efficiency

• Metal strips roughly one-tenth of vessel

diameter and attached radially to the wall
 Aeration system (sparger)

• The device used to introduce air into the

fermenter broth is called sparger.
Spargers are of the following three basic types:
(1)Porous spargers
(2)Orifice spargers
(3)Nozzle spargers
Porous spargers
Orifice spargers
Nozzle spargers
 Feed ports
Addition of inoculum, nutrients
and other supplements
Addition of acid/alkali
 Foam control
Foam is produced during most microbial
fermentations. Foaming may occur either
due to a medium component, e.g.,
protein present in the medium, or due to
some compound produced by the
microorganism. Proteins are present in
corn-steep liquor, peanut meal, soybean
meal, etc
 Foam control
These proteins may denature at the air-broth
interface and form a protein film that does
not rupture readily. Foaming can cause
removal of cells from the medium; such cell
wills undergo autolysis and release more
proteins into the medium. This, in turn, will
further stabilize the foam.
 Foam control
Foam breakers-mechanical(paddle,
conductivity probe)
Antifoams-Commercial and natural
Polyglycols, soyabean oil
 VALVES
Valves attached to fermenter are used for controlling
the flow of liquids and gases in variety of ways.
• VALVE TYPE
1 On and off control Ball valve, Gate valve
2 Large pipes Butterfly valve
3 One way flow Check valve
4 Sanitary flow Diaphragm valve
5 Flow regulation Globe valve
6 Slow pressure release Needle valve
7 pressure control valves
Common Measurement And Control
Systems

1. Speed Control
2. Temperature Control
3. Control of Gas Supply
4. Control of pH
5. Control of Dissolved
Oxygen
6. Anti-Foam Control
7. Feed Control
 Bioreactor/ Fermenter Designs

1. Stirred Tank
2. Air lift reactors
3. Bubble Column
4. Packed bed reactors
5. Trickle bed reactors
6. Fluidized bed reactor
 Stirred tank reactor
• Mixing method:
Mechanical agitation
• High input required
• Baffles are constructed
within the built-in.
• Applications include
production of
antibiotics and
free/immobilized
enzymes
• Draw back is that high
shear forces may break
the cells
 Air lift reactors
Mixing method: airlift
• Central draft tube
• Up-flowing stream
and down flowing
stream
• Homogenization of
all components
present
• Applications include
bacterial, animal,
plant, fungi and yeast
cells.
 Bubble column reactor
Mixing method: Gas
sparging
• Simple design
• Good heat and mass
transfer rates
• Low energy input
• Gas-liquid mass transfer
coefficients depend
largely on bubble diameter
and gas hold-up
 Packed bed reactor
• Column with
attached biofilm
• Biocatalysts
• Pump is required
to make fluid move
through the
packed bed
• Applications
include waste
water treatment
 Fluidized bed reactor
• When the packed
beds are operated
in up-flow mode,
the bed expands
at high liquid flow
rates due to
upward motion of
the particles.
• Energy is required
• Waste water
treatment
 Trickle bed reactors
• Liquid is sprayed onto
the top of the packing
and trickles down
through the bed in small
rivulets.
• In the process, the
gaseous pollutants on
the surface of the
carriers is adsorbed and
immediately biologically
mineralized (degraded)
by the microorganisms.
 References
• ”Bioreactor”. Def. The Free Dictionary by Farlex.from
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bioreactor

• Bioreactor. An Encyclopedia Britannica.From

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/b
ioreactor
• ”fermentor”.Def. The Free Dictionary by
Farlex.from
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fermenter
• ”fermentation” . Def. The Free Dictionary
by Farlex.from
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fermentati
on
Thank you