Microza responds to various challenges in the downstream of fermentation and bioprocessing
Build a downstream with little work and high recovery rate of objectives
Reduce the risk of contamination by installing steam-sterilizable hollow fiber membranes
Reduce the OPEX
in the separation process
Avoid the product's deterioration due to separation process
Reduce physical load on microorganisms in the refining process
Recover and reuse the enzyme because its costs account for a large percentage of the entire production costs
Why Microza?
Extensive product lineup
Microza products are available in a variety of membrane materials, separation precisions, and hollow fiber inner diameters. For food applications, there are over 20 types in the lineup, including modules for small-scale testing and commercial-scale modules.
Reduced risk of leakage of the target substance
Separation layers are formed on both the inner and outer sides of the Microza hollow fiber (UF) membrane. The original double-skin structure can reduce the risk of leakage of the target substance. “Pressurized backwashing” is also possible where the pressure on the permeate is instantaneously reversed from the permeate side (secondary side) to the feed side (primary side), causing the permeate to flow backward and preventing clogging.
Suitable for any applications
Microza products cover a wide range of applications, such as carbohydrates, alternative proteins, honey, amino acids, sake, health food raw materials, enzymes, soy sauce, lactic acid bacteria, algae, cultured meat, and extracts. We propose the Microza product optimum for your production process.
Durability and chemical resistance
Microfiltration (MF) membranes that are made of polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), which is fluorine-based resin, have strong mechanical properties and excellent durability and chemical resistance. Like ultrafiltration (UF) membranes, they can also be backwashed.
No need to purchase filter aids
Reductions in production costs can be expected as costs for purchasing filter aids and waste disposal will become unnecessary.
Enabling automated and manpower-saving operation
Filtration completes just by turning on the switch, and thus the automated and manpower-saving separation process improves work efficiency. The modules need not be disassembled or washed after use, and washing completes by circulating chemicals within the device. It is also feasible for nighttime operations.
High filtration stability even at a low linear velocity
By selecting optimal filtration conditions, stable separation/
concentration is possible at low linear velocity with low load on the bacteria.
Differences from competitive technologies
Reduction of workload and manpower
Present the strong points of Microza compared not only to other hollow fiber membranes but also to other membrane separation and separation methods.
Reduction of manufacturing costs
Reductions in production costs can be expected as costs for purchasing filter aids and waste disposal will become unnecessary.
Stable separation/concentration even at low linear velocity
Cross-flow effects can be expected even at low circulating flows. Separation and concentration are possible even at low linear velocity, which imposes a little load on the target of separation. It also contributes to reductions in energy costs because it consumes little energy for circulating the feed.
Reduction of the refining load in the post-stage process
The high separation/filtration precision results in reduced loads to purification in later processes compared to the conventional process.
Large membrane area per unit volume
Out of various membrane filtration technologies using cross flows, such as tubular, ceramic, and hollow fiber membrane modules, hollow fiber membrane modules have the largest membrane area per unit volume, resulting in compact modules, and are operable with low power. We also have hollow fiber membrane products of large inner diameters for concentration purposes in our lineup to respond to diverse customers’ needs.
High scalability
As facility design is possible in units of the membrane module, the separation technology has high scalability.
Main products for the target field
pencil-scale and laboratory-scale testing modules
Small-scale hollow fiber membrane modules for testing samples of small volumes
Ultrafiltration membrane: AP and SP series
AP and SP series have high sanitation performance and are ultrafiltration (UF) membranes widely used in food, pharmaceutical, and bioprocess applications. Both circulation and filtrate-side nozzles are connected to the pipes of the filtration system with ferrules.
Microfiltration (MF) membrane
Microfiltration (MF) membranes of highly durable polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and polyethylene (PE) that apply to a wide range of pH are available.
Membrane filtration system for testing and of commercial scale
We also offer services of designing and manufacturing membrane filtration systems that can demonstrate the filtration performance of Microza.
Examples of applications for target treatments
- Food manufacturer
Improving the productivity in the processes of collecting and washing lactic acid bacteria
Cultured lactic acid bacteria are collected, and the low-molecular-weight fraction originating from the culture medium is removed by filtering while adding water (washing of the cell bodies).
The manufacturer wanted to increase the productivity in bacteria collection to respond to increases in demand for the product but faced a problem with the existing membrane facility requiring too much treatment time. To solve the problem, the Microza MF membrane, which manifests high bacteria recovery ratio and has a large membrane area, was introduced. It resulted in an increased capacity of bacteria recovery even in a limited installation space. Membrane filtration is easy to scale up, and thus MF membranes have been widely selected for scaling up from a small centrifuge.
- Manufacturer of starch sugar
Cost reductions in the purification process of starch sugar and environmental improvements
Removal of solids and enzymes originating from raw materials after the saccharification process (clarification)
In the production of sugar from starch, product purity after the saccharification process is increased by removing suspended matter and coloring components. The manufacturer realized that the conventional diatomite filtration required huge costs for filter aids and is not environment-friendly as a huge amount of industrial waste is produced. Implementation of Microza MF membrane into the clarification process not only improves the economy by reducing the costs of filter aids but also reduces industrial waste. It is very burdensome to change the production process which has a long history, but Asahi Kasei accompanies and supports customers in investigating changes.
- Food material manufacturer
Productivity improvement in the downstream processes of enzyme production
1) Use of MF membrane to collect microorganisms from the fermentation tank and to clarify the enzyme after adjustment
2) Use of UF membrane to condense the clarified enzyme to reduce the volume
There are several ways to purify enzymes produced by microorganisms. Out of them, microorganism collection and clarification using Microza MF membrane are highly work efficient and achieve economic merits. MF membrane having a large hollow fiber inner diameter is also feasible for removing solid culture media components. For downstream enzyme concentration, a highly hydrophilic polyacrylonitrile UF membrane was proposed to provide a wide range of support for the purification and concentration processes. MF and UF membranes have been widely implemented in the production of enzymes not only for sales but also for in-house use.
