Colourful Biotechnology
Bioreactor selection is critical to optimise its
performance, which is further dependent on:
Biomass concentration (which must remain
high)
Maintenance of sterile conditions
Effective agitation for uniform distribution of
substances and MOs in reaction
Heat removal system
Right physicochemical conditions, such as, pH and
temperature
A TYPICAL BIOREACTOR (STR)
BIOREACTOR TYPES CLASSIFIED
Bioreactors are classified into types based on various
criteria:
(a) Type and form of biocatalyst:
biocatalyst free cells in submerged
cultures (microbial fermenters), carried bound or
immobilised cells/enzymes (enzyme or cell-free
reactors), and retention or recirculation of the
biocatalyst
(b) Configuration:
Configuration tank- sitting/squatting (height/diameter
<3), column- standing (height/diameter>3)
(c) Phase/Energy input:
input liquid phase, solid phase, mixed
phase
(d) Aeration:
Aeration aerobic (submerged, surface) and anaerobic
TYPES OF BIOREACTORS
Stirred Tank Bioreactors (STB)
Here, the mechanical stirrers (impellers) are used to mix
the reactor to distribute heat & mass (viz., O2 & media)
TYPES OF
BIOREACTORS
Air lift bioreactors are
similar to bubble
column reactors, but
differ by the fact that
they contain a draft
tube. The tube is an
inner tube that
improves circulation
and O2 transfer, and
equalises shear
forces in the reactor
These are tall reactors which
use air alone to mix the
contents
Bubble column Air-lift
TYPES OF
BIOREACTORS
Bubble-bed reactor
The gas is sparged at the
bottom of the draft tube.
The bubbles are prevented
from leaving the draft tube
at the top because they
cannot rise against the
downward flow produced by
the propeller. The bubbles
do not exit at the bottom of
the draft tube because the
wider cross section of the
tube near the bottom slows
down the liquid flow
sufficiently that the bubbles
are not dragged out
Air-lift Bioreactor Types
TYPES OF BIOREACTORS
Fluidised bed reactors
Cells are immobilised small particles moving with the fluid. The
small particles create a large surface area for cells to stick to and
enable a high rate of transfer of oxygen and nutrients to the cells
TYPES OF BIOREACTORS
Packed bed reactors
Cells are immobilised on large particles (particles don't move
with liquid). These are simple to construct and operate, but
can suffer from blockages and from poor oxygen transfer
CelliGen Plus® Stirred-Tank
Bioreactor
Fibra-Cel® Disks: Solid support growth material for cells with a proclivity to attach and
grow
Bioreactor types based on phasic
interactions
SV FB EB PB
Stirred vessel Fluidised bed Expanded bed
TYPES OF BIOREACTORS
Flocculated cell reactors
These retain cells by allowing them to flocculate (natural
immobilisation); used mainly in wastewater treatment
Mass-transfer considerations based bioreactor
A types are:(A) Mechanically agitated
bioreactors: (a) stirred
tank reactor equipped
with various propellers
(spin, helix, bladed,
paddle), (b) rotary drum
tank reactor
B
(B) Air-driven bioreactors:
(a) bubble column, (b)
concentric tube airlift
reactor (IL ALR), (c)
external loop airlift
reactor (EL ALR), (d)
C propeller loop reactor, (e)
jet loop reactor
(C) Non-agitated
bioreactors: (a) packed
bed, (b) fluidised bed, (c)
membrane (hollow-fibre)
Turning/Rotating Bioreactors for Animal Cells
Hollow fiber bioreactor
Wave Bioreactor (Rocking base)
Methane (Biogas) Production -
Biomethanation
Alternate (bio)fuels, e.g., Oilgae
Photobioreactors
AGE-OLD BIOREACTORS
Urban landfill (‘Solid-phase’ bioprocessor)
AGE-OLD BIOREACTORS
Biogas (Mixed-phase) fermentor
The Three BIOREACTORS of different phases
Another case difference between three other
bioreactors
Existing ultra-large Bioreactors of the world
Glacial Lakes Energy in Watertown, South
Dakota; produces 47+ million gallon ethanol
yearly
World's Largest Industrial
Fermenter (200 ft high, 25 ft
dia; Chem. Eng. News,
10/04/78)
Classical works as precursors
to BEis now an indispensable tool in
One of the basic tools in microbiology
all fields of microbiology, physiology, genetics, ecology or
biotechnology...
Golden age with all those key publications:
Monod (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1965, Lac operon: first
example of a transcriptional regulation system)
Hinshelwood (chemical kinetisist solving problems related to
bacterial physiology, papers in 46 and 66, Nobel Prize winner)
van Neil (chemical basis of photosynthesis-purple-green bacteria,
chemistry of denitrification)
Novick & Szilard (device for continuous bacterial culture - 1950;
they called it chemostat-mutation rate analysis, negative feedback
regulation)
Pirt (antibiotic production-microbial growth dynamics and the control of
microbial processes; concept of ‘maintenance energy’ – energy that is
not for microbial growth, but for preserving essential cellular functions)
Bioreactor capacity – Scale-up
2-5 l cap. 15 l cap. Pilot-scale cap.
40 lit. in situ sterilisable bioreactor designed and built for animal
cell culture. Along with typical control parameters, it's equipped
with a specially-designed low shear impeller and a rotating filter to
retain cells/microcarriers while removing spent broth as fresh
nutrients are added. Can be operated in fed-batch or continuous
mmercial capacity – for particularly low-value bioprodu
Various attachments for a bioreactor
1: Canister for immobilised cells; 2&3: Filter for culture harvest; 4&5:
Impellers
Impellers in Stirred Tank Reactors
Impeller designs – Turbine & Paddle
Turbine impeller design Paddle impeller design
pH probe
Sensors and probes
Parameters
such as pH,
Temperature,
DO,
Conductivity,
Turbidity, CO2
etc. are
automatically
controlled by
providing a
wide range of
high quality in-
line and on-line
probes/sensors
Sensors and probes -
Turbidostat
