Mode of

Fermente
r
Operatio
BATCH
n
FED-BATCH
CONTINUOUS

Definitio
n

Batch culture
- closed system in which most of the
materials required are loaded and
decontaminated before the process starts
and then removed at the end

Definition
Batch Fermentation

Nothing is added;

except oxygen (in the form of air),

an antifoam agent (control foam),

and acid or base (control pH).

Mode of fermentation operation

At t=0, nutrient and inoculums are

added=start the fermentation

During the fermentation

Nothing is added except those required to control

the fermentation condition (pH, foam)
Nothing take out from the bioreactor except
samples until the fermentation process is
completed

Characteristi
cs

Contain initial and limited amount of

nutrient for survival and production

Conditions are continuously changing

with time and the fermenter is an
unsteady-state system

medium composition, biomass and

metabolite concentration change during
the fermentation

Characteristi
cs

Cells grow in batch

fermentation follow a
growth curve
contains four distinct
regions known as
phases:

Lag phase
Log Phase
Stationary Phase
Death Phase

Characteristi
cs

Lag Phase

The first major phase of

microbial growth in a batch
fermentation process
the organisms adapt to their
new surroundings
Minimal increase in cell
density

Exponential Phase

When organisms grow in

numbers
Also known as log phase
Cells have adjusted to their new
environment
The cells are dividing at a constant
rate resulting in an exponential
increase in the number of cells present

 The lag phase follows inoculation of the

nutrient medium and is a period of
adaptation.
The log phase is characterized by a straight
line on a semilog plot of the ln X vs time.
This is a period of balanced or steady state
growth during which the specific growth rate, ,
is constant.

Throughout the fermentation the chemical

composition of the broth is changing since nutrients
are being consumed and metabolic products are being
produced.
As a consequence the environment is not at steady
state.
Over a range of nutrient concentration, the growth
rate is independent of concentration.
Also, during the log phase, the cell macromolecular
composition remains constant;

Characteristi
cs

This stationary phase occurs when all the cells have

stopped dividing or when viable cells have reached
equilibrium with dead cells, that is, with the rate of death.
Upon further incubation several things are likely to
happen.
Even though net growth has stopped, there may still be
metabolism and accumulation of products in the cell or in
the broth.
The total cell mass may stay constant

Kinetics of
fermenter
L o g (C E L L C O N C . )

Cell

Growth

in

batch

12

(a)

10

(b)

8
6

(c)

4
Lag

ExponentialPhase

StationaryPhase

Phase
2
0
0

10

15

20

25

TIME

Curve (a) represents cell mass in the absence of lysis, (b) cell mass
when lysis occurs and is followed by cryptic growth, and (c) viable
cell count when cell lysis occurs.

Specific Growth Rate

In time interval (dt)
concentration (X) i.e.

increase

in

biomass

(dx)

proportional

to

biomass

dX
dX
X
X
dt
dt
where

is defined as the growth rate (h-1)

1 dX
X dt

When t = 0 (when exponential growth begins) where X = X 0 (the biomass

concentration at the start of the fermentation). When t = t, X = X. By
integration:

Ln

X
t
X0

Where,

or

X X 0 e t

X = Biomass Concentration at
time, t
Xo= Initial biomass concentration
t = time
= growth rate

Used to produce biomass, primary

metabolites

In order to produce maximum possible

biomass at the end of the process,
optimization of cultural conditions
supporting growth should be established.
For primary metabolite production,
conditions to extend the exponential
phase (and hence, product excretion)
should be provided

Secondary Metabolite Production

Conditions giving a short exponential phase

An extended stationary, or production phase,
or conditions giving a decreased growth rate
in the exponential phase
might be preferred for secondary metabolite
formation

Control systems for batch fermentation are normally

associated with pH, dissolved oxygen tension and
temperature.
In batch fermentation, if growth is subject to
substrate inhibition, fermentation has to be started
with low initial substrate concentration.
This result in lower maximum biomass and hence,
probably, lower maximum concentration of the required
product.

Advantages
Easy to set up and easy to perform
Easy to control environmental
factors
Versatile vessels

can be used for different processes.

Complete conversion of substrate is

possible

Disadvantag
es

Growth rates and product

formation are slower because
limiting factors
low cell densities
Less efficient/more time wasted
shutting down, removing product
and starting up again
Product quality can vary between
batches
High labor cost: skilled labor is
required for cleaning and setting
the bioreactor
Safety problems: when filling,
emptying, cleaning

Conclusion

Batch culture is a close system where

nothing is added and taken out during
the fermentation period.
Process involve in batch fermentation
generally are
Medium preparation
Fermenter sterilization
Inoculation
Fermentation followed to completion
Culture harvesting and purification

Conclusion

Growth kinetic in batch system can be described

as Ln X t
t
X0

or

X X0 e

Growth phase in batch fermentation can be

broken down into 4 phase that are lag,
exponential, stationary and death phase.
When choosing batch fermentation, we have to
consider the substrate inhibition and product
inhibition
Batch fermentation is suitable to produce
biomass