Measurement of dissolved carbon dioxide.

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Chemical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Accurate monitoring of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) is crucial for optimizing fermentation processes.
• Traditional methods for measuring dissolved CO2 can be complex and invasive.
• Developing reliable and efficient CO2 probes is essential for process control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of various probes for measuring dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in a fermentor.
• To evaluate the suitability of a submerged silastic rubber probe for CO2 measurement.
• To determine if CO2 partial pressure in exhaust gas can substitute for dissolved CO2 measurement.

Main Methods:

• Installation and testing of multiple dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) probes within a 68-litre fermentor.
• Comparative analysis of probe performance under diverse operating conditions.
• Utilizing the superior silastic rubber probe to compare CO2 partial pressure in viscous fermentation media with exhaust gas.

Main Results:

• The submerged silastic rubber tubing probe demonstrated superior reproducibility and performance across various operating conditions.
• No significant difference was observed between the partial pressure of CO2 in viscous fermentation media and the fermentor exhaust gas.
• The silastic rubber probe proved effective for real-time CO2 monitoring.

Conclusions:

• The silastic rubber probe is a highly effective tool for measuring dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) in fermentation.
• Monitoring CO2 partial pressure in the exhaust gas provides a reliable approximation of dissolved CO2 levels.
• This finding eliminates the need for direct CO2 concentration measurements in the fermentation broth, simplifying process monitoring.