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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
08:37
Light-Controlled Fermentations for Microbial Chemical and Protein Production
Published on: March 22, 2022
Strategies for penicillin fermentation in tower-loop reactors
B König1, K Schügerl, C Seewald
1Institut für Technische Chemie der Technischen Universität Hannover, Callinstrasse 46, D-3000, Federal Republic of Germany.
Biotechnology and Bioengineering
|February 1, 1982
Summary
Penicillium chrysogenum can be produced in pellet form in tower-loop reactors, improving penicillin production efficiency. This method enhances mass transfer and simplifies recovery, offering a more economical alternative to traditional stirred-tank reactors.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
- Microbial Fermentation
Background:
- Traditional penicillin production in stirred-tank reactors faces challenges with highly viscous filamentous Penicillium chrysogenum.
- Tower-loop reactors are difficult to use with filamentous molds due to high viscosity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a strategy for producing penicillin in tower-loop reactors using pellet-form fungi.
- To evaluate the efficiency and economic viability of pellet-based penicillin production in tower-loop reactors.
Main Methods:
- Cultivating Penicillium chrysogenum in a pellet form by controlling impeller speeds, inoculum, and substrate concentrations.
- Comparing fermentation performance, mass transfer coefficients, and penicillin productivity in tower-loop reactors versus stirred-tank reactors.
- Analyzing mass transfer resistances at different interfaces and their dependence on pellet diameter.
Main Results:
- Pellet suspensions in tower-loop reactors exhibited 4-5 times higher volumetric mass-transfer coefficients (k(L)as) than filamentous broths.
- Specific penicillin productivities were up to 90% higher regarding power input, biomass, and substrate consumption.
- Biomass separation and penicillin recovery were significantly simpler with the pellet form.
Conclusions:
- Tower-loop reactors utilizing pellet-form Penicillium chrysogenum offer improved mass transfer and specific productivity.
- Optimizing pellet diameter is crucial for maximizing penicillin productivity.
- This approach presents a promising alternative for more economical penicillin production.
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