5.8 - Fermenter

5.8 interpret and label a diagram of an industrial fermenter and explain the need to provide suitable conditions in the fermenter, including aseptic precautions, nutrients, optimum temperature and pH, oxygenation and agitation, for the growth of microorganisms

The industrial fermenter is the reaction vessel in which fermentation occurs. It is usually made of metals such as steel or copper.

• The fermenter has a steel jacket outside and another steel jacket inside and in between the 2 there is water. (This is a cooling jacket because once the fermentation gets going it produces heat and this will cool down the reaction so it happens at optimal conditions)
• The fermenter will need to be cleaned therefore there is inlet where steam goes in to sterilize the fermenter (between fermentations)
• Within a fermenter there will be a heating plate to raise the temperature. The heating plate and cooling jacket are used to control the temperature so that it can provide the optimum temperature for fermentation
• So the fermentation can occur there is a tap (pipework) to insert nutrients because they act as the food for the micro-organisms.
• There is also a temperature probe to monitor the temperature. This will tell us to deploy either the heater or cooling jacket.
• The reaction also needs the addition of micro-organisms through another tap
• There will also be a pH probe to effect the pH to keep the optimum conditions for fermentation to occur 
• Also there needs to be a way to stir the reaction therefore we add a motor to a mechanism that agitates the mixture preventing to clump together.
• At the end of the reaction there needs to be a way to drain off the product, this would then go on to a process called "downstream processing" which involves purification.

The idea of a fermenter is to control the optimum growth conditions for the micro-organism so that it can produce the product we are looking for.