[A study on growth of Rhizobium leguminosarum in air pressure oscillating, solid-state fermenter]

Rhizobium leguminosarum L003, a kind of biofertilizers, was cultured in a periodic air pressure oscillating, solid-state fermenter by using straw of wheat as an inert solid support. Effects of air pressure oscillation amplitude, frequency on the viable cells of R. leguminosarum L003 and oxygen transfer rate were investigated. It was found that enhanced oxygen transfer and biochemical reaction occurred in this system. Under the optimized conditions, about a 3-fold increase of the viable cells was obtained in this system compared with that in a static tray fermenter. The overall oxygen transfer rate reached 487.01 mmol/(kg.h) in this system in case of 0.35 MPa, t2 = 0.5 min against 37.46 mmol/(kg.h) in static tray fermenter.