Effect of antifoam agents on oxygen transfer in deep tank fermentations

Abstract

AbstractDevelopment of a foam breaker which operates on the principle of rapid acceleration of foam through a nozzle has allowed large‐scale aerobic fermentations to be run without addition of antifoam agents. Fermentations have been investigated over a wide range of aeration levels in which oxygen supplied to the organisms was the limiting growth factor.With Torulopsis utilis grown in a 5 per cent molasses medium. oxygen utilization followed an exponential pattern during the early phase of growth, with carbon dioxide production equal to the consumption of oxygen. At the point where oxygen supply to the organism became limiting, anaerobic fermentation began, and the consumption of oxygen remained constant. The level of oxygen absorption beyond which the respiratory quotient exceeded unity was used as a measure of limiting oxygen supply.Addition of three types of antifoam compounds to T. utilis fermentations resulted in a marked depression of oxygen consumption, and a decrease in cell production. Incremental addition of small quantities of antifoam to maintain a constant foam level in the fermentor depressed the oxygen absorption rate to a lesser extent. Sulphite oxidation rates did not reflect the true value of oxygen absorption rates found for fermentations without addition of antifoam.