INSTRUMENTATION IN PENICILLIN FERMENTATION.

A brief and general account is given of the manufacture of penicillin beginning with the early days of production. Initial instruments consisted of pressure gages, temperature recorders, controllers, and air flow indicators. Nowadays, microprocessors are gradually taking over the control of sterilization, nutrient addition, and inoculum addition. The speed and storage capacity of an on-line computer can enable one to continuously monitor, interpret and modify the fermentation process and thereby improve fermentation productivity by taking necessary control actions.