African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 2 (8), pp. 233-236, August 2003

ISSN 1684-5315  © 2003 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Constructional features of a 15-litre home-made bioreactor for fed-batch fermentations

GUEGUIM KANA, E.B.¹*, OLOKE, J.K.¹, LATEEF, A. ¹ and ZEBAZE KANA, M.G.²

¹Biotechnology Centre, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, PMB 4000, Ogbomoso, Nigeria.

²Advanced Physics Laboratory, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, Abuja, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author; E-mail: egkana@justice.com.

Accepted 18 July 2003

A 15-litre bench-top multipurpose bioreactor was designed and constructed. The vessel is a glass type with a stainless flat headplate incorporating 9 access ports allowing for a variety of interchangeable probes and actuators. The stirring speed ranges between 0 and 250 rpm, the aeration rate (0-2 l/m), the pH control loop uses HI 1131 probe, two 100 ml bottles of HCl and NaOH solutions and operates a close feedback system. The temperature control module is a close loop using a PT 100 RTD   thermocouple and an auxiliary vessel containing a cooling solution. The aeration and feed flow rates are open loops. The system incorporates attributes of a good bioreactor design as discussed by Naraendranathan (1998). Sterility is achieved by autoclaving different units of the system. This machine has been tested on an array of local standard fermentation processes.

Key words: Fermentation, bioreactor, control, sensors, actuators.