|
The invention concerns a solid state fermenter in particular for
large volumes as well as a procedure for solid state fermentation.
The task of the present invention was the development of a solid
state fermenter for large volumes and of a procedure for solid state
fermentation, that allows an economic application of the solid state
fermentation for little competitive micro-organisms in large fermenters.
The solid state fermenter according to the invention is characterized
by representing a module fermenter, where at least two module bases,
that are permeable for air and water, are arranged on top of each
other, which are connected with the wall of the vessel in such a
manner, that neither air nor water can pass laterally, the existence
of a cultivation substrate for the micro-organisms, which have to
be cultivated, on the module bases, a cooling device below every
module base and the fermenter being closed with a lid.
A chemiluminescence-based gel assay may be used as an indicator
of fermenter health. The assay is performed using a sample of fermentation
medium essentially directly from the fermenter (with no need for
complicated purification of the sample before performing the assay).
Results from the assay may be correlated with the final product
purification yield of a given protein/purification protocol system.
This may then be used as a predictor of purification yield before
actually performing the purification.
The present invention relates to a fermenter consisting of a vat
provided internally with a diaphragm designed to retain the gas
bubbles produced by fermentation and release them when they have
reached a large size. The diaphragm consists of a concave surface
underneath which the rising bubbles are temporarily collected and
continue to rise as soon as they flow out from the diaphragm full
of gas. In this way the small bubbles which rise up combine together
to form others which are larger and able to create strong currents
which continuously remix the floating marc and in this way make
it possible to avoid or, at least greatly limit, solidification
of the cap, keeping it constantly fluid.
A fluidized-bed fermenter is described, which is characterized
by an inverted cone-shaped fermentation space (1) with two feed
pipes (2 and 3) optionally provided with control valves (4 and 5),
of which one (2) is vertically aligned to the cone vertex and the
second (3) is nonvertically aligned to the shell of the cone in
0.1 to 0.3 times the height of the fermentation space and a sedimentation
space (6) above fermentation space (1), which has one or two drainpipes
(7 and 8) optionally provided with control valves (9 and 10).
|