Available for scheduled use. Contact Andy Suby at asuby@iastate.edu or (515) 296-6039 for availability.

Requires Iowa State University staff to operate. Includes labor for a standard fermentation.

The 500-liter fermenter is used for fermenting a wide variety of agricultural feedstocks (grain to cellulosic biomass). The fermenter may also be used in research not directly related to biofuels such as industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and specialty proteins.

Main Vessel Specifications

Tank: 500 liters working volume capacity; stainless steel; side walls and bottom have a double jacket on sides and bottom for temperature control and longitudinal viewing glass; penetrations of eight 25 mm general purpose side ports located below liquid level; six 25 mm general purpose side ports located above liquid level for addition of acid, base, anti-foam solutions, for inoculum and for spares; sterilizable harvest port greater than or equal to 50 mm diameter; and removable baffles and sparger.

Lid: Fabricated of stainless steel, top-drive agitator shaft with double mechanical seal, penetrations of six 19 mm general purpose ports, exhaust gas port, and glass illumination port.

Piping: All major piping is stainless steel, and all major valves, regulators, filters and traps are easy to access.

Temperature: Normal operation temperature is 15C to 90C, and sterilizable temperature is105C to 130C.

Aeration: Two-gas mixing system for blending with non-air gases, each line has a pressure control valve, rotameter, and check valve.

Pressure: Pressure sensor linked to controller.

Agitation: AC motor powering a top-drive stainless steel agitation shaft with two adjustable impellers, 20 hp agitator motor, and variable speed motor capable of driving agitation shaft to 500 rpm.

Software: Control software compatible with Windows-PC system and data files can be converted to Microsoft Excel format.