Comparative Study of Yeast Growth Kinetics in Different Reactors

Abstract

This study aims at investigating three different reactors (air-lift fermenter, bubble column reactor, continuous stirred-tank reactor) to evaluate their performance with respect to baker’s yeast (Active Dry Yeast powder) growth using YDM (Yeast Dextrose Media) in shake flask culture in the B.O.D incubator under optimum conditions. Conventional methodologies were implemented to investigate different parameters of yeast growth kinetics in the reactors viz., dry cell mass concentration, residual glucose concentration and cell count. It was finally estimated that among the three bioreactors, in the CSTR, running with an agitator speed of 650 rpm, the final dry cell mass concentration attained after 48 hours was 0.162gm/100 ml and almost all of the initial glucose (0.6 gm/100ml) was utilized within first 12 hours.