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Why Use Pilot Plants to Test Fermentation Processes at Intermediate Scale?
Pilot plants in fermentation scale-up test processes at intermediate scales to optimize parameters, reduce risks, and validate data before full production, bridging lab results to industrial viability.
Question
What is the main purpose of a pilot plant in fermentation scale-up?
A. To produce final consumer products
B. To eliminate the need for downstream processing
C. To test processes at intermediate scale before full production
D. To replace laboratory research
Answer
C. To test processes at intermediate scale before full production
Explanation
A pilot plant in fermentation scale-up serves as an essential intermediate step between laboratory research and full commercial production, operating at volumes typically from 20L to several thousand liters to mimic industrial conditions while identifying issues like oxygen transfer rates, heat management, mixing efficiency, and process controls that differ at larger scales. It allows for process optimization, risk reduction, accurate cost and resource estimation, and validation of lab-scale data models before committing to expensive full-scale facilities, ensuring reproducibility of product quality and minimizing financial risks from unforeseen operational challenges.