Continuous separation of E. coli fermentation broth using a CEPA® LE laboratory centrifuge system

The CEPA centrifuges are characterized by their ability to process many times the volume of their tubular bowl. In this typical bioprocess laboratory application, the performance of a CEPA LE High Speed centrifuge with a clarifying bowl was evaluated by its capacity to clarify an E. coli fermentation broth. A total of 4.2 L containing 6 % solids by volume were produced using a BioFlo® benchtop fermentor. This suspension was completely separated in 22 minutes. The wet cellular paste that was collected amounted to 193 grams and it occupied approximately 75 % of the 250 mL bowl at the point the processing was complete. Supernatant clarity was excellent, with all samples containing less than our visual detection limit of 0.1 % solids.