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Content archived on 2024-05-07

Anaero-control: A new strategy to optimize fermentation performance by means of on-line measurement of compounds by FTIR/ATR-sensors

Objective



The objective of this project is to demonstrate economical and practical advantages of automated fermentation process control by on-line monitoring of substrates, metabolises and end-products by using on-line FTIR-ATR technology combined with IR/TCD gas sensors. Anaerobic fermentation will serve as an example and it will be shown, that the yield of methane, which is the valuable product in this fermentation, can be optimised We choose this type of fermentation as an application, because it is a type of worst-case scenario due to a very complex sample matrix, a high amount of cells and suspended solids and also difficult analyses. The experiences gained in this process can be transferred to other, completely different industrial fermentation processes like lactic acid fermentation.
By focusing activities of several competitive European SME s and the corresponding biotechnological research, the advantageous and reliable application of fermentation control by on-line FTIR/ATR sensors will be comparably demonstrated by means of 4 company-specific and commercially relevant anaerobic fermentation processes. In the proposed scale the execution of the demonstration project will be representing reality.
Proving the technical viability of the FTIR/ATR sensor technology for on-line measurement and fermentation control will show its advantages with respect to current analytical methods which are state of the art. Special attention will be put on the economic advantages of a higher yield of products at fermentation processes.
Other demonstration goals which need to be achieved are: - fabrication of a prototype of combined FTIR/ATR on-line sensors and fermentation control software - update of MR-compound library for identification of important metabolises - adaptation of file-transfer and process-control software to individual demands of each application - testing of sensitivity and linearity of FTIR/ATR sensors at real conditions - implementation of IR- and TCD-sensors for gas analytic in control concept - optimization of the yield of methane in anaerobic fermentation by using FTIR/ATR for process control and utilisation of valuable but difficult substrates like fat and plant-oil - development of plants equipped with FTIR/ATR sensors for process control.
The proposed work is considered to be pre-competitive because further work will be needed after project completion before product marketing. In particular: - The commercial form and production of FTIR/ATR sensors should be designed - The FTIR/ATR device and the fermentation control software have to be simplified to allow operation by non-experts - Control options by FTIR/ATR sensors will also have consequences on the desig of the anaerobic fermentation plant. A new design might to be useful or necessary.
The objectives match perfectly the Area 1.2.1: Biochemical engineering componen of cell factories: Fermentation technology: Development of on-line and in-situ measurements for the analyses and controls of substrates and products formed during fermentation and: Development of the most efficient control strategies t optimise fermentation performance.

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITAET FUER BODENKULTUR WIEN
EU contribution
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Address
11,Nussdorfer Lande 11
1190 WIEN
Austria

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Total cost

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Participants (5)

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