Oxygen enrichment of fermenters
Many processes used in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries require a supply of oxygen to the apparatus in which the processes are carried out: for example, aerobic fermentation, in which the inoculated microorganisms are enabled to produce an active principle, and are fed with suitably treated, sterilised air to supply the oxygen needed to keep the reaction going.
The consumption of oxygen varies during the process, peaking when the maximum density of the microbe population compatible with operating conditions, and the presence of nitrogen, using air, imposes a limit both on the amount of oxygen that can be transferred and also on the maximum quantity of microorganisms present, affecting the productivity of the process. Moreover, the production of foam, which depends on the amount of air used, further reduces the useful volume of the apparatus.
These problems can be tackled and resolved using SOL technologies for pure oxygen usage. Since the saturation concentration in water of pure oxygen is about five times greater than that of oxygen in the air, using it to hyper-oxygenate the air current using technologies and plant from the Ecojet® range, makes it possible to increase fermenter productivity.