Challenges
1. 40-Day Risk and Hermetic Containment
With a cultivation period of up to 40 days, even the slightest contamination during the process could result in the disposal of the entire 12-ton batch.
Although this was a food process, it required pharmaceutical-level hermetic containment.
2. Surface Hardening and Growth Arrest
Cultured wild ginseng roots must remain submerged in liquid to grow properly.
When exposed to air above the liquid surface, the roots harden, ginsenoside content decreases, and growth stops, creating a critical process issue.
3. Difficulty in Liquid Level Detection
As the cultured roots grew, they continuously absorbed the culture medium, causing the liquid level to change.
Since the tank was densely filled with roots, conventional level sensors could not accurately detect the liquid level, making impeller position control difficult.
SEDNA Solution
1. SRFT Top-Mounted Magnetic Mixer
SEDNA ENG applied the SRFT top-mounted magnetic Agitator to eliminate contamination risks caused by seal wear.
This enabled the process to maintain perfect aseptic conditions even during 40 days of continuous operation.
2. Patented Rolling Blade (Liquid-Level-Following Impeller)
To respond to liquid level changes without sensors, SEDNA ENG applied its patented Rolling Blade technology, using buoyancy and mechanical design.
As the liquid level changes, the blade automatically rises and moves with the liquid surface, gently turning the cultured roots back into the medium for continuous wetting.
3. Optimized Oxygen Transfer
Through magnetic mixing, oxygen supplied from the bottom sparger is evenly dispersed throughout the culture medium.
This allows the cultured roots to absorb sufficient oxygen, even in high-density cultivation conditions.
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
- Results
01
Reduced Surface Hardening
The Rolling Blade continuously wetted the cultured roots at the liquid surface, reducing surface hardening by over 50% and enabling the harvest of premium-quality cultured roots.
02
Auto-Leveling Performance
With a smart design that allows the impeller to follow the liquid level without complex sensor control, the system improved both process automation and operational convenience.
03
High-Purity Ginsenoside Production
By creating a stable cultivation environment, the process exceeded the target ginsenoside extraction yield and successfully completed the project.