Apparatus for the continuous sterile fermentation

Apparatus for continuously fermenting solutions under sterile conditions comprising a closed upright slender fermentation tower having a hollow interior, a lower end, and an enlarged upper end section, said lower end having connected thereto an inlet means for introducing unfermented feed solution into the lower end, a sterile gas inlet means fitted with a membrane filter and sintered candle means to bubble sterile gas into the lower end and a steam inlet means connected via a sampling means to sterilize the lower end and the sampling means by supplying steam thereto;

• said upper end section having connected thereto an outlet means for product discharge, a sterile gas inlet means fitted with a membrane filter to introduce sterile gas into the upper end section, a steam inlet means to sterilize the upper end section by supplying steam thereto, a gas exhaust outlet means fitted with a membrane filter and a pressure regulating means for maintaining excess pressure in the tower, and said tower having over its length, between the lower end and upper end section, a plurality of steam inlet means connected via a sampling means for supplying steam to sterilize the length of the tower between the lower end and upper end sections and to sterilize the sampling means.