MOTT Corporation Success Story: Advancing Aerobic Fermentation with Porous Metal Spargers

TFTAK
3 days ago
3 min read

Last year, TFTAK delivered an independent study evaluating the performance of Mott Corporation’s porous metal spargers in fermentation applications.

The Challenge

Fermentation efficiency hinges on a critical variable: dissolved oxygen. This is especially important in precision fermentation, where maximizing the conversion of substrate into product is essential to improving titers, yields, and overall productivity. For aerobic processes like yeast fermentation, suboptimal oxygenation can force microbes into anaerobic metabolism recusing biomass yield, increasing by-product formation and accumulation, and negatively impacting process economics.

Mott Corporation sought independent, lab‑validated data to better understand how its next‑generation sparger designs perform under oxygen‑limited fermentation conditions.

The Project

TFTAK carried out a comprehensive parallel-testing protocol that compared multiple sparger porosities (2 µm, 5 µm, 10 µm) against traditional drilled-pipe controls. The team - Asfand, Ranno and Steven - deployed rigorous methodology and state-of-the-art bioreactor setups to measure what matters most: real-world fermentation performance using the industrially relevant yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, under conditions where drilled‑pipe spargers were unable to deliver sufficient oxygen.

The Results Speak

Results shown are outcomes observed in this study under specific test conditions:

233% faster volumetric oxygen transfer – The k_La coefficient up from 0.006 s⁻¹ to 0.020 s⁻¹
40% reduction in air consumption – Mott's 2 µm spargers consumed 2,150 liters of air vs. 3,500+ liters for drilled-pipe spargers over 64 hours
170% increase in cell biomass – Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultures reached 43.5 g/L with Mott spargers (vs. 16.2 g/L with drilled-pipe spargers)
Extended aerobic growth windows – Superior oxygenation prevented premature switch to anaerobic metabolism

Why This Matters for Industry

Precision fermentation is at the heart of modern bioprocessing, from alternative proteins to pharmaceutical production to sustainable food manufacturing. Every percentage point improvement in biomass yield, every liter of air saved, translates to:

Higher product titers with lower operating costs
Reduced energy footprint for more sustainable production
Improved process reliability is critical to GMP and regulated environments

What Impressed Us the Most

Working with Mott revealed what true innovation partnership looks like:

"They took the time to understand our key performance indicators - not just ours, but those of our end-users. They aligned capabilities, defined clear scope, and collaborated closely with our R&D team before a single experiment was run." - Chris Franke, Senior Account Manager, Mott Corporation

Mott's willingness to invest in rigorous, transparent testing and trust the data wherever it led reflects confidence born from genuine innovation. That's the mark of a company serious about delivering solutions, not just products.

Our Role

As researchers and consultants, our mission is straightforward: generate data, not narratives. We tested multiple porosities in parallel, compiled high-resolution performance comparisons, and delivered a structured case study with raw methodology, conclusions, and visual evidence. The results are the story.

Looking Forward

The fermentation technology landscape is evolving rapidly. Bioprocessing decisions that once relied on rule-of-thumb assumptions now demand precision validated, published, reproducible evidence. In deep tech areas like precision fermentation, robust technical solutions that meet the demands of your strain unlock the required commercial metrics of your production process.

To companies developing bioprocessing equipment: thorough third-party validation isn't a burden; it's a competitive advantage. To bioprocess engineers and fermentation leaders: demand the data. Performance claims should be backed by independent, transparent testing.

Congratulations to Mott Corporation for leading with innovation and integrity. And thanks to our team: Asfand Yar Saqib, Ranno Nahku and Steven Axel van der Hoek for executing this project with the rigor it deserved.

Key Takeaways

Porous metal spargers demonstrated improved performance compared to traditional drilled‑pipe designs under the tested conditions
170% biomass improvement and 40% reduced air usage unlock economic and sustainability benefits
Independent, transparent testing supports informed decision‑making in bioprocessing
Data-driven evaluation is increasingly important in precision fermentation

Interested in validating your fermentation technology? At TFTAK, we design rigorous studies that generate the insights your innovations deserve. Let's talk.