5.8 interpret and label a diagram of an industrial fermenter and explain the need to provide suitable conditions in the fermenter, including aseptic precautions, nutrients, optimum temperature and pH, oxygenation and agitation, for the growth of microorganisms

The industrial fermenter is the reaction vessel in which fermentation occurs, it is usually made out of steel or copper. There is steel jacket in which there is normally another steel jacket inside, and in between the two, there will be water, which is cooling jacket. Once the fermentation happens it will produce heat and the water will cool down the water so that the reaction occurs at the optimal temperature.

The fermenter will need to be cleaned and that is why there is an inlet where steam will enter and then the steam will sterilizes the fermenter between fermentations. The steam cleans the tanks out.

Within the fermenter there will be a heating plate to raise the temperature, the combination of the heater and the cooling jacket, allows the fermenter to keep optimum temperature for fermentation.

So that fermentation can occur nutrient has to be added to the tank, so there would be a tap into the fermenter. The nutrients will act as food for the microorganism. There would also be a temperature probe in the tank in order to monitor the temperature, to see whether you needed to use the heating plate or the cooling jacket. The reaction would also require the addition of the microorganisms so there would be another tap for that.

You would also need a pH probe in order to keep the conditions at the optimum rate of reaction. 

You also need a way of stirring the reaction, and this is done to agitate the mixture stopping it from clumping and spreading the microorganism.

You would also need a way drain off the product. Which would then go off to process called down stream processing, which involves purification.