8 Fermentation and Biochemical Engineering Handboot 1.3 Application of Computer Control and Sensing Technologies for Fermentation Process The application of direct digital control of fermentation processes began in the 1960s. Since then, many corporations have developed computer-aided fermentation in both pilot and commercial plants. Unfortu nately, these proprietary processes have almost never been published, dueto corporate secrecy. Nevertheless, recent advances in computer and sensing technologies do provide us with a great deal of information on fermentation This information can be used to design optimal and adaptive process controls In commercial plants, programmable logic controllers and process computers enable both process automation and labor-savings. The present and likely future uses of computer applications to fermentation processes in pilot and industrial plants are summarized in table 5. In the table, open circles indicate items that have already been discussed in other reports while the open triangles are those topics to be elaborated here Table 5. Computer Applications to Fermentation Plants Pilot scale Production scale Fut Sequence control Feedback control Data acquisition imation state variables Advanced control △ Modelling Scheduling8 Fermentation and Biochemical Engineering Handbook 1.3 Application of Computer Control and Sensing Technologies for Fermentation Process The application of direct digital control of fermentation processes began in the 1960’s. Since then, many corporations have developed computer-aided fermentation in both pilot and commercial plants. Unfortu￾nately, these proprietary processes have almost never been published, due to corporate secrecy. Nevertheless, recent advances in computer and sensing technologies do provide us with a great deal of information on fermentation. This information can be used to design optimal and adaptive process controls. In commercial plants, programmable logic controllers and process computers enable both process automation and labor-savings. The present and likely future uses of computer applications to fermentation processes in pilot and industrial plants are summarized in Table 5. In the table, open circles indicate items that have already been discussed in other reports while the open triangles are those topics to be elaborated here. Table 5. Computer Applications to Fermentation Plants Sequence control Feedback control Data acquisition Estimation of state variables Advanced control Optimized Control Modelling Scheduling Pilot Scale Present Future Production Scale Present Future A few cases A A