SMOOTH FINISHING OF FERMENTOR SURFACES

Of course in the context of our discussions we are talking mostly of the internal or inside surfaces of fermentors and even of stainless steel pipings to and from the fermentors.
In the fermentation industries involved in the production of biopharmaceuticals and innobiologics such stringent sanitary and sterilized conditions could be the make and break of the fermentation process. It could be a successful and profitable fermentation process or it could be a financial disaster.
The provision of smooth surfaces will not only eliminate microbial contaminants or fermentation residues but also will help improve the cleaning and washing of the surfaces. Not only is the cleaning process becomes more efficient but it is even proven that substantial cost savings made in water and cleansing solutions
Smooth finishing of internal surfaces as provided by stainless steel material and structure have always been regarded as the solution to providing the smooth surfaces of fermentors and the ancillary piping to and from the fermentors
However, most of these statements are often not tested. Different fermentation processes show different fluid properties and thus also different washing and cleaning regimes. Smooth or mirror polishing could itself result in smooth surfaces but also provide hidden niches where microbial contaminants and organic deposits could be hidden in the smoothened crevices. Visually we may see the stainless steel as being very smooth but under the magnification of the microscope, it is not as smooth as we expected.
One of the solutions to producing smooth surfaces is of course by electro polishing, in which passing current help to smoothen the rough surfaces
Whatever the outcome any stringent fermentation industries have to carry out their own cleaning validation process to ensure that they are on the right track.


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