Fermentation is one of the processes commonly utilized in industry to manufacture a host of industrial products. Fermentation is much more the biocatalytic transformation of organic into various other useful products like fuel, food, and pharmaceuticals. For the majority of these transformations, high extents of aeration, mixing, and temperature control are required; due to these demands, numerous technologies for fermentation have been developed in time, but the most promising ones, it is airlift reactors.
The ALR is basically a tank that is designed for fermenting by blowing in air from the bottom of the reactor and letting it circulate with the fermentation broth and hence the name airlift reactor. ALRs possess a draft tube; in other words, this tube is centrally located that introduces circulation of the liquid phase. The two primary reasons for using air in an ALR are: as a source of oxygen required for microbial growth and providing mixing of the fermentation broth to ensure uniform contact between the liquid and gaseous phases.
Improving fermentation efficiency with an airlift reactor
Efficiency in fermentation is paramount for any large-scale fermentation and is influenced by a host of factors including culture medium, microbial strain, and aeration. Airlift reactors have been designed to adequately meet many of these factors and provide a number of benefits that make them more efficient than any other fermentation technologies. To begin with, ALRs provide an adequate supply of air, which is fundamental for the growth and viability of microorganisms used in fermentation.
Role of air in fermentation airlift reactor
The supply of air in the airlift reactor plays an important role in ensuring proper performance of the reactor. In an airlift reactor, air has a significant role. Air provides oxygen to the microorganisms present in the liquid phase. The growth of microorganisms is dependent upon oxygen. Thus, air will ensure adequate supply that would ensure optimal yield during the fermentation process. Besides, the air provided in the ALR enhances the mixing, which leads to an increase in mass transfer and facilitates a uniform blend of the industrial fermentation broth. The availability of air in the ALR is quite significant for the removal of the growth of anaerobic organisms, which might act adversely towards the overall yield of the fermentation process.
Comparison between airlift reactor and traditional fermentation techniques
Airlift reactors have several advantages over fermentation methods. First, these are less expensive, effective, and scalable. Airlift reactors also include higher oxygen transfer rates meaning that the growth and productivity of microorganisms used during fermentation are highly optimized. Thirdly, airlift reactors offer a homogenous environment for microorganisms hence leading to higher productivity rates. Last but not least, they have reduced effects of shear ensuring that damage to the cells is lowered during fermentation.
Applications of airlift reactors in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries
Airlift reactors have many applications across different industries such as the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. In the pharmaceutical sector, ALRs are utilized in the manufacturing of many drugs and their intermediates. In the biotechnology sector, ALRs are used in the production of various biotechnological products such as enzymes, proteins, and biofuels.
In a nutshell, airlift reactors possess so many advantages over other types of fermentation bioreactor technologies that can be used in such diverse applications as in biotechnology. The characteristics provided by ALRs, namely, scalability, homogenous environment for microorganisms, and improved mass transfer make it an efficient and economically viable system for large scale fermentation.