Fermentation

Polymerization is a liquid-liquid mixing process that allows reaction between monomer molecules to create polymer chains.
Due to high viscosity and high exothermic heat of reaction of a typical polymerization system, the polymerization reactor needs to be design, considering heat transfer and the fluid flow.
For instance, most of the polymerization reactors are equipped with agitators. Commonly used tank reactors obviously have stirring capability.
Emulsion polymerization and suspension polymerization reactions are the types of polymerization reaction carried out in the stirred tank reactors by agitation of the monomers or reactants.
Emulsion polymerization involves simultaneous nucleation-growth phenomenon. Monomer is first dispersed into drops enabling the aqueous phase to become saturated.
Monomers moves by a convection-diffusion mechanism to suspended particles. Although nucleation and growth occur simultaneously, growth continues after nucleation stops.
The growth phase stops when the monomer supply is stopped. ACME agitator disperses monomer into drops and to provide adequate movement for suspension and heat transfer.

Fermentation works on the fact that micro-organisms change the chemical composition of bio-degradable materials into chemical substances that can be used for various purposes. In a typical fermenter, the micro-organisms are deployed and supplied with necessary food and nutrients that helps them to multiply and boost the fermentation process.

Fermenters are designed to meet all process requirements for culture of microorganisms to achieve maximum growth and productivity. Maximum productivity, product concentration, and the quality are dependent on bulk mixing and oxygen mass transfer, which in turn is governed by mixing operation, impeller type, and fluid properties/process parameter.

From a mixing standpoint, this is a 3 phase mixing (solid + gas + liquid) & gas dispersion, solid suspension, heat transfer, and blending are the key factors that govern productivity. Since most fermentations are run under conditions of oxygen limitations, gas dispersion which directly affects mass transfer plays a critical role.

FERMENTATION

The type and nature of micro-organism culture is also one the important factors in deciding the speed and type of impeller. High shear rate can kill micro-organism in some processes and may multiply in some other.

In fermenter, agitators are designed to promote good gas/ air dispersion and bubble break up into smaller bubbles so as to provide maximum interfacial contact.

ACME leads the agitator manufacturing market with a wide range of impellers and their combinations to optimize the fermentation process.