Chemical Engineering

Bioprocess Laboratory

Bioprocess engineering involves harnessing biological materials or mechanisms to produce chemical products.

The bioprocess lab contains facilities and materials for batch cultivation of microorganisms at three scales: shake flask, 2-L fermenter, and 10 gallon non-stirred fermenter. Shown is the state-of-the-art 2-L bioreactor, which can run in either batch or continuous modes, with computer control and measurement of pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and aeration. Undergraduate students use this equipment in their senior design and elective courses to study industrial fermentations.