Bioflo 110 Fermentor - New Brunswick Scientific

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Authors:

This system is also called: Bioreactor

Keywords: Fermentation, Anaerobic, Aerobic

Operation

An overview of operations is given here; https://www.che.utah.edu/undergraduate/projects_lab/modular_benchtop_fermentor/

Troubleshooting

Problem	Symptom (s)	Fundamental Cause (s)	Solution(s)
Drifting pH probe	Hard to get a steady reading upon calibration	Air bubbles may prevent contact between the the half cell and probe fluid	Check for bubbles at the tip of the probe. Carefully swing in circles with tip of probe outward to force bubbles toward the top of the probe. Alternatively, probe may need replacement.
Primary Control Unit not starting up fully	Partial or fully dead screen. Failure to fully boot up the PCU.	Weak connection at the power supply due to corrosion and possibly overheating if ran for long periods.	Check all connections in the PCU, especially to and from the power supply, for blackened/burnt wires or corrosion. Grind away anything that may impede a good connection.
Quick draining of connected gas tanks	Gas tanks drain much faster than expected by calculation. Hissing in the mass flow controller is louder than expected.	Leak in Mass flow controller.	Open up the mass flow controller and identify the point of leakage. Spraying with soap is an option but care for electrical connections should be taken.
Improper pH control	The pump module is operating but pH is not adeqautely adjusting	A clog in the buffer line. This is common for thin tubing where salting out of any pH adjustment solution could occur.	Try and break leak in the tubing, cut leak out of tube and rejoin tubing together, or replace tubing.
Failure to pump	Pump heads are rotating but fluid is not moving	Pump head may be out of alignment due to a breakage on the inside. This keeps the pump head from being able to exert pressure on the tubing.	Open the pump moduel and identify broken pieces. Super glue or replace broken parts.

Maintenance

Maintenance Schedule

Action	Frequency	Who Performs?	Time to Complete
Replace pH probe storage solution	Monthly	User	5 min

Versions of the System

Version	Dates of Production	End of Production	Number Produced
(Insert Version)	(State a Date)	(State a Date)	(State a unitless quantity)