Bioreactor Types, Design, Parts, Applications,

Limitations
A bioreactor is a device or system that is used to cultivate and grow biological
cells, tissues, or organisms under controlled conditions. Bioreactors are
essential in many industries, including food, pharmaceutical, and biofuels
production.

The history of bioreactors can be traced back to the early 20th century, with
the development of the first stirred-tank bioreactors. These early bioreactors
were used primarily for the cultivation of microorganisms and were relatively
simple in design, consisting of a tank with a stirrer to mix the contents.

During the 1950s and 1960s, bioreactor technology advanced significantly

with the development of new types of bioreactors, such as airlift and bubble
column bioreactors. These bioreactors improved oxygen transfer and mixing,
allowing for the cultivation of more oxygen-sensitive organisms.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the use of bioreactors in the production of

pharmaceuticals and other high-value products began to increase.
Biotechnology companies began to develop new types of bioreactors, such as
perfusion bioreactors and hollow fiber bioreactors, which allowed for the
cultivation of cells and tissues on a large scale.

In recent years, the field of bioreactor technology has continued to evolve,

with the development of new types of bioreactors, such as microfluidic
bioreactors and 3D bioprinting bioreactors, as well as the integration of
advanced technologies such as automation and process control. This has led
to an increase in the efficiency and effectiveness of bioreactor processes,
making them more widely used and accessible in various industries.

Overall, the history of bioreactor technology has been marked by a steady

evolution and improvement in design, capabilities, and applications.

What is a Bioreactor? (Definition of Bioreactor)

The bioreactor can be described as a vessel-like apparatus which provides

a stable environment for microorganisms to flourish and maintains a
steady balance in the biochemical processes that these microorganisms
carry out to create desired substances.
• The importance of bioreactors lies in their ability to efficiently and
effectively produce a wide range of products. For example, bioreactors are
used to produce enzymes, proteins, and microbial biomass for use in the
food industry, and to produce vaccines and other pharmaceuticals in the
healthcare industry. Bioreactors can also be used to produce biofuels, such
as ethanol and biodiesel, as well as other products like bioplastics.
• In addition, bioreactors can also be used in the field of tissue engineering
to grow replacement tissues and organs for medical use. Bioreactors
provide a controlled environment for the cells to grow, which allows for the
production of high-quality, consistent products.
• Moreover, bioreactors can also be used in research and development,
providing a controlled system to study the growth and behavior of cells
and organisms under different conditions.
• In summary, bioreactors play an important role in many industries,
allowing for efficient and effective production of a wide range of
products, and also in research and development.
Principle of Bioreactor

The bioreactor is the central component of any biochemical process, since it

provides the conditions for microorganisms to achieve optimal development
and create metabolites for the biotransformation and bioconversion of
substrates into desirable products. The reactors can be designed or produced
based on the organisms’ growing requirements. Reactors are machines that
can be constructed to turn materials derived from living organisms into
desirable products. They can be utilised for the manufacture of different
enzymes and other biocatalytic processes.

An ideal Bioreactor Should Have Following Qualities

• The vessel is can be operated aseptically for a few days.
• Proper agitation and aeration.
• The power consumption must remain as minimal as is possible.
• Control of temperature and pH must be made available.
• Facilities for sampling should be made available.
• The losses of the fermentation process from evaporation shouldn’t be too
high.
A minimal amount of labor is required during production cleaning,
harvesting, and maintenance.
• Internal smooth surfaces.
• Containment is the process of preventing the leakage of cells that are
viable from fermenters or equipment downstream.
• Aseptic operations require protection from contamination.
Bioreactor Design

• The design and mode of operation of a bioreactor are determined by the

creation of an organism, the optimal conditions necessary for the
formation of the intended product, the product’s value, and its production
scale.
• A well-designed bioreactor will increase productivity and produce higher-
quality products at cheaper costs.
• A bioreactor is a device with a number of components, including an
agitator system, an oxygen delivery system, a foam control system, as
well as temperature and pH control systems, sampling ports, a cleaning
and sterilising system, and lines for charging and emptying the reactor.
• The material used to make a bioreactor must possess the following
essential characteristics:
• It must be noncorrosive.
• It should not introduce any toxins into the fermentation medium.
• It should be resistant to steam sterilisation.
• It must be able to withstand high pressure and pH variations.
• Depending on the application, bioreactor sizes can vary substantially.
• Some bioreactors are designed for small scale fermenters and others for
large scale industrial applications, ranging from the microbial cell (a few
mm3) to the shake flask (100-1000 ml) to the laboratory-scale fermenter
(1 – 50 L) to the pilot level (0.3 – 10 m3) to the plant scale (2 – 500 m3)
for large volume.
Fermenter Design

A good fermenter must have the following features: Heat and oxygen transfer
settings Sterilization processes and foam control, a fast and thorough cleaning
system A proper monitoring and control system.
Fig: Parts of the bioreactor and their function
• Traditional designs are open-circular or rectangular vessels constructed
from stone or wood.
• The majority of fermentations are conducted in close systems to prevent
contamination.
• It should be constructed of non-toxic and corrosion-resistant materials.
• Small fermenters with a capacity of just a few liters are made of glass or
stainless steel.
• Pilot scales and a variety of production vessels are constructed from
stainless steel, with polished internal surfaces.
• Large fermenters are usually constructed of mild steel, and then lined with
plastic or glass to cut down on costs
• If an aseptic process is required the pipelines that transport inoculum,
air and ingredients for fermentation have to be sterilized, normally with
steam.
• The majority of vessel cleaning processes are now automated with spray
jets and are referred to as Cleaning in Place (CIP). It is located inside the
vessel.
• The pipework must be designed to limit the chance of microbial
contamination. There shouldn’t be joints in the horizontal direction, or
any unnecessary pipes and stagnant spaces that are dead where
substances can gather; otherwise, the result could be ineffective
sterilization.
• Typically, fermenters with a capacity of 1000 liters capacity are equipped
with an outer jacket. larger vessels come with internal coils.
 • Safety and pressure gauges valves should be used, (required during
sterilization and operation).
• To transfer media, pumps are employed. Centrifugal pumps (generate
high shear forces and provide a routes for easy contaminations)
magnetically coupled jet and the peristaltic pumps.
• Alternative methods for liquid transfer include gravity feeding or vessel
pressure
• In ferments operating at high temperatures or that contain volatile
compounds A sterilizable condenser could be needed to stop the loss of
evaporation.
• Fermenters are usually operated with positive pressure to stop the entry
of contaminants.
Parts of the bioreactor and their function

1. Fermenter Vessel/Vessel

The vessel is designed so that it uses the least work and maintains it and work
is carried out in a clean manner under carefully controlled conditions. The
inside that the vessel has is smooth, and is constructed of low-cost substances
that provide the best outcomes. There are two kinds of fermentor vessels such
as glass fermenter and stainless steel fermenter, for small-scale glass is the
preferred choice, and for industrial use stainless steel is employed.
• Glass is not toxic and is resistant to corrosion. It is easy to study the
internal reaction within the vessel. Sterilization is performed using
autoclave. They are small fermentors that measure around 60 centimeters.

2. Heating and Cooling Apparatus

The vessel that is used to ferment food is generated by the activity of

microbes and the an agitation. The temperature in the vessel is controlled by
adding or removing heating from the unit. Baths that are thermostatically
controlled and internal coils usually employed to supply heat, and silicone
jackets are utilized to eliminate heat. It features a double-silicon mats with
heating wires sandwiched in between mats. If the dimensions are exceeded
and the mat is covered with a surface with the jacket the removal of heat is a
pain in the internal coils cold water must be circulated to keep the
temperature at a constant level.

3. Sealing Assembly

The sealing assembly is utilized for the sealing of stirrer shafts to ensure
proper agitation. it is able to function for longer periods of time aseptically.
There are three kinds of seals used within the fermenter. Seals for the packed
gland The shaft is sealed by many asbestos packing rings which are pulled by
a glands that are pushed to the shaft. To ensure that the heat is not absorbed
packing rings are periodically tested and replaced.

Mechanical seals: This kind of seal is composed of two components, one

stationary within the bearing, and a rotating shaft. Two components are joined
using springs. In the process, stem condensate is utilized to cool and lubricate
the seals. Magnet drives comprise two types of magnets which is a driving
magnetic and driven. The driving magnet is secured to the exterior of the head
plate within a bearing and linked with the shaft of drive. A second, the magnet
that is driven is located on the other side of the shaft, and secured in bearings
on the face of the head plate’s interior.
4. Baffles

Baffles stop vortex from expanding the capacity of aeration and are composed
of metal strips welded in a radial direction to the wall. Baffles are able to
reduce the growth of microbial colonies on the sides of the fermenter.

5. Impeller

Impellers are utilized to provide homogeneous suspensions of microbial cells

in a homogeneous medium for nutrient delivery by stirring. Impellers mix the
bulk liquid with solid particles and gas phases of the culture of suspension.
Impellers with variable impellers are employed in fermenters and can be
classified according to.

• Disc turbines: They comprise disc with a set of rectangular vanes. They allow
an air stream from the sparger to strike on the disc’s underside and then
move the air toward the vanes, breaking large air bubbles down into
smaller ones.
• Variable pitch open turbine: They also comprise a an agitator shaft that is
vanned and joined to propeller blades of the marine on the shaft for the
agitator. The air bubbles that make up this turbine don’t touch any surface
prior to dispersing
6. Sparger

• The sparger is used during fermentation to stir and aerate the wort.
• It lets oxygen in the fermenter, allowing yeast to convert sugars from fruits,
vegetables, grains, and juices into alcohol.
• Spargers made from stainless steel, brass and glass are the best.
• It must fit into the fermenter’s opening without clogging.
• Two main functions of the sparger are: It creates air bubbles that help
disperse oxygen throughout wort during fermentation. And it pushes out
unwanted trub from the fermenter. This makes it easier to clean the
equipment and keep the beer clear.
• It pushes air through pipes into fermenters to aerate them.
• The sparger keeps the contents of fermenters mixed so they don’t get
clumped together.
• This prevents oxygen from getting into the fermenter. This could cause bad
smells.
Three kinds of spargers are utilized. Porous spargers consist of sintered or
ceramic and are used in vessels that do not have agitation at the scale of a
laboratory.
• Nozzle Sparger: It’s an open or partially opened single pipe. This kind of
sparger is typically employed because they don’t block and offer less
pressure.
• Combined sparger-agitator: They insert air through a hollow shaft, and
then release it from the holes in the disc that is drilled to connect directly
to the bottom of the primary shaft. If the agitator operates in a range of
rpm they will provide an adequate amount of air in an agitator with a
baffle
7. Feed Ports
• Feed ports help you to add ingredients at the right times to the bioreactor.
• Feed ports allow for small amounts of liquid to pass through them, so nutrients can be added to
or removed from fermenters without having to open them.
• This allows you to monitor your fermentation process continuously and makes it easy to add
nutrients or remove byproducts.
• Feed ports enable you to add feeds at various stages of fermentation to your fermenters. You
can control the characteristics of your beer by controlling when each ingredient is added. You
can add malt extract to your wort at the beginning of the brewing process to give it time to turn
sugars into alcohol. However, if you wait too long, the beer may taste flat and lack character.
• The feed ports consist of tubes made of silicone.
In-situ sterilization is carried out prior to either the removal or the addition of ingredients.
8. Foam Control

This is among the most important components of the fermenter, as the

volume of foam within the vessel must be reduced to prevent contamination.
The level of foam can be controlled with two components: foam sensing and
control. In the fermenter the probe is placed through the top and is set to a
certain level that is above the surface of the broth. If the level of foam rises
and it touches the probe’s tip there will be a current carried across the circuit.
The current will activate the pump, and antifoam will be released immediately
to fight the issue.

9. Valves

Valves are employed in the fermentor for controlling the flow of liquid inside
the vessel. There are around five kinds of valves used including globe valves,
butterfly valves ball valve diaphragm and butterfly valve. Globe valves can be
used for general use, but they don’t control flow. Butterfly valves are not
appropriate for use in aseptic conditions. They are utilized for pipes with large
diameters that operate at low pressure. Ball valves can be used in aseptic
conditions. They can handle mycelial broths and operate at a high
temperatures. Diaphragm valves aid in adjusting flow.

10. Safety Valves

The safety valve is integrated into the pipe and air layout to function under
pressure. Through these valves, the pressure remains within the safe
boundaries.

11. Aeration System

Anaerobic digestion requires oxygen for microorganisms that metabolize

organic matter into biogas. Methane gas is formed when biodegradable
materials are broken down. Carbon dioxide, which is produced during the
oxidation process, is the main component of the gas. The bacteria won’t be
able to grow and digest the material if there is no air. This will lead to lower
production of biogas as well as higher levels of carbon dioxide.

To keep cells alive and growing, oxygen is added through spargers (aerating
device) during aerobic fermentation. The rate at which yeast consumes sugar
during fermentation is affected by the level of aeration. Higher levels of
dissolved oxygen allow yeast to grow more quickly, but with a lower cell
density. High cell concentrations result in a decreased space per cell, and
therefore lower productivity.

• A fermentor’s aeration system can be one of its most important

components.
• To ensure adequate oxygen supply throughout the culture, it is crucial to
select a reliable aeration system.
• It has two separate aeration devices, an impeller and a sparger, to ensure
that fermentors are properly aerated.
• Two things are accomplished by the stirring:
• It allows you to mix the gas bubbles in the liquid culture medium.
• It allows the microbial cells to be mixed through the liquid culture
medium, which makes sure that they have equal access to the
nutrients.
12. Foam-Control
• Two functions are provided by the foam control system in the bioreactor. It prevents foaming by
removing air from the solution.
• It also helps stabilize bubbles that form during fermentation by adding gas. Because less oxygen
diffuses through liquid, this results in a better product. It’s also useful for high yields of
 fermentable sweeteners; adding CO2 to the liquid will increase sugar intake without affecting
yield.
• The continuous feedback loop of the foam control system optimizes foam generation and
stability according to input flow rates.
• This device produces foam that has been shown to increase cell growth and proliferation. It
creates a favorable environment for the growth of cells from different tissue/organ sources.
• The foam control system adjusts the air supply to maintain the desired levels of dissolved
oxygen.
• This system makes the most of energy and reduces water consumption by half compared to
manual operations. This reduces costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
• North Carolina State University’s Dr. Robert Davis designed a foam-control
system. A computer algorithm is used to regulate the flow of air into the
bioreactor based on the level of dissolved oxygen in the vessel. This keeps
cells alive and prevents them growing too large.

• To avoid contamination, the foam level in the vessel should be reduced.

This is an important aspect to the fermentor.
• Two units control foam: a foam sensing unit and a control device.

13. Controlling devices for environmental factors

• Bioprocess industries have always struggled with controlling devices. Bioreactor design must
consider many parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide
concentrations. These should all be controlled at certain levels during the process. This will
control growth, reduce contamination, improve production rate and increase product-quality.
• This will allow you to better control the environment in a bioreactor.
• These devices will enable us to monitor the temperature, carbon dioxide, oxygen concentration,
and pH of the reactor at any time.
• We also want to offer an interface that allows users to program parameters such as the amount
of nutrients provided and the rate at which these are added.
• Many devices can be used to regulate environmental elements such as temperature, oxygen
concentrations, pH, cell mass and essential nutrients levels.
14. Fermenter using Computer

• Fermentors can be paired with semi-automatic and automated computers

to improve process efficiency, data collection, and monitoring.

Students will have more information because computers are used in

fermenters. The output of each fermentation chamber will be visible to
students. Students will be able view temperature and progress of each
fermenter, keep track of activity and compare results between batches. This
will help them understand how microbiology works at every stage of the
process.
• Although the fermenter’s computer cannot be used continuously, some
users claim that it can do a decent job maintaining temperature stability if
it is switched off between batches.
• The fermenter is a computer-controlled device that monitors fermentation
activity and automatically adjusts pH levels. It also pumps CO2 into the
mixture to maintain a constant level.
Bioreactor Types

The different types of fermentors are the continuous stirred tanks including
airlift, the fluidized bed membrane fermenter, photobioreactor along with
bubble column fermenters

1. Continuous Stirred Tank Bioreactors

• Stirred tank bioreactors are cylindrical vessels with a motor-driven central shaft that supports
one or more agitators. The shaft can enter either the top or bottom of the reactor vessel.
• In order to prevent fluid swirling and vortices, most microbiological culture vessels are outfitted
with four baffles that protrude from the vessel’s walls.
• One-tenth or one-twelfth of the diameter of the tank is the width of the baffle. The aspect ratio
(height to diameter ratio) of the vessel ranges from 3 to 5, with the exception of animal cell
culture applications, where aspect ratios do not typically surpass 2. Typically, animal cell culture
vessels (especially small-scale reactors) are unbaffled in order to decrease turbulence that may
cause cell damage.
• Aspect ratio determines the number of impellers. Approximately one-third of the tank’s
diameter above the bottom of the tank is the location of the bottom impeller. Additional
impellers are spaced between one and two diameters of the impeller apart.
• For gas dispersion impellers such as Rushton disc turbines and concave bladed impellers, the
diameter of the impeller is around one-third of the diameter of the vessel. Larger hydrofoil
impellers with diameters ranging from 0.5 to 0.6 times the tank diameter are very excellent bulk
mixers and are employed in fermenters for highly viscous mycelial broths.
• Typically, animal cell culture vessels use a single, large-diameter, low-shear impeller, such as a
marine propeller. Gas is sparged into the reactor liquid below the bottom impeller using a
perforated pipe ring sparger with a slightly smaller ring diameter than that of the impeller.
• A single-hole sparger may also be utilised. In applications involving animal or plant cell culture,
the impeller speed in vessels more than 50 litres typically does not exceed 120 revolutions per
minute.
• Higher stirring rates are utilised in microbial culture, with the exception of mycelial and
filamentous cultures, for which the impeller tip speed (i.e., impeller diameter rotational speed)
does not typically surpass 7.6ms1.
• There is evidence that certain mycelial fungi can be harmed at even slower rates. The superficial
aeration velocity (volumetric gas flow rate divided by the cross-sectional area of the vessel) in
stirred vessels must remain below the value required to flood the impeller.
• Flooding occurs when an impeller gets more gas than it can adequately disperse. A flooded
impeller is an ineffective mixer.
In general, the velocity of superficial aeration does not exceed 0.05 m s1.
Stirred tanks are one of the most popular forms of bioreactors, particularly for
the manufacture of antibiotics and organic acids.

Features of Stirred Tank Bioreactors

Stirred tank bioreactors, also known as stirred tank fermenters, are bioreactors that are
designed to hold and mix a liquid culture of microorganisms or cells. They typically consist
of a cylindrical tank with a stirrer or impeller to mix the contents and provide oxygen for
respiration. Some key features of stirred tank bioreactors include:

• Agitation: The stirrer or impeller is used to mix the culture and provide oxygen for respiration.
The type and speed of agitation can be adjusted to optimize growth conditions.
• Temperature control: The temperature of the culture is usually maintained at a specific value by
heating or cooling the tank.
• pH control: The pH of the culture is usually maintained at a specific value by adding acid or base
as needed.
• Aeration: Oxygen is supplied to the culture either through the stirrer or by bubbling air or
oxygen through the culture.
• Sterilization: The bioreactor and its associated equipment can be sterilized to prevent
contamination of the culture.
• Monitoring and control: Various sensors and control systems are used to monitor and control
the conditions inside the bioreactor.
• Scalability: Stirred tank bioreactors can be scaled up or down depending on the desired
production volume.
Working Mechanism of Stirred Tank Bioreactors
• In bioreactors with stirred tanks, it is possible to add air into the medium under pressure using
an instrument called a sparger.
• The sparger could be a ring with a number of holes or a tube having only one orifice.
• The sparger in conjunction together with the impellers (agitators) allows for a better gas
distribution throughout the vessel.
• The bubbles produced by the sparger are crushed down to smaller ones through impellers and
scattered across the medium.
• This creates an even and uniform environment within the bioreactor. This allows the bioprocess
to run efficiently.
• The bioprocess continues to produce the desired end product through the vent.
Advantages of Stirred Tank Bioreactors
• Continuous operation.
• Excellent temperature control.
• It is easy to adapt easily to easily adapt to.
• Control of parameters is good and also the environmental conditions.
• The simplicity of construction 6. Flexible and low operating (labor) costs and investment
requirements.
• Clean and easy to maintain.
• can handle the highest concentrations thanks to its high heat transfer.
• Efficacious gas transfer to developing cells, and mixing of contents.
Disadvantages of Stirred Tank Bioreactors
• The requirement for bearings and shaft seals.
• Limitation of size by motor size as well as shaft length and weight.
• The problem of foaming can be a major one.
• Power consumption is increased because of the Mechanical pressure pumps.
Application of Stirred Tank Bioreactors
• The most effective continuous methods to date have relied on the yeast and bacteria where the
most desired products are cells.
• Production of the primary metabolites, enzymes and amino acids.
• The process of producing alcohol(product evidently linked with growing or energy-producing
mechanisms).
The most popular is the process of activated sludge employed in the wastewater
treatment industries.
2. Air-lift bioreactors

• The fluid volume of an airlift bioreactor vessel is split into two

interconnected zones by a baffle or draught tube. Only one of the two
zones contains air or other gas. The zone receiving gas is known as the
downcomer, whereas the zone receiving no gas is known as the riser.
• Since the bulk density of the gas-liquid dispersion in the gas-sparged riser
tends to be less than that in the downcomer, the dispersion flows upward
in the riser zone and downward in the downcomer zone.
• Occasionally, the riser and the downcomer are two distinct vertical pipes
that are joined at the top and bottom to form an exterior circulation loop.
The riser-to-downcomer cross-sectional area ratio should be between 1.8
and 4.3 for best gas-to-liquid mass transfer performance. In commercial
processes, external-loop airlift reactors are less prevalent than internal-
loop designs.
• The internal-loop configuration may consist of either a draft-tube
arrangement with concentric tubes or a split cylinder. Airlift bioreactors are
significantly more energy-efficient than stirred fermenters, yet their
productivities are comparable.
• Due to its suitability for shear-sensitive cultures, airlift devices are
frequently used in the mass production of biopharmaceutical proteins
derived from fragile animal cells. Airlift devices are also utilised in high-rate
biotreatment of wastewater, manufacture of insecticidal nematode worms,
and other low-viscosity fermentations.
• The heat and mass transfer capacities of airlift reactors are comparable to
those of other systems, and airlift reactors are superior to bubble columns
in suspending solids. Ultimately, all performance aspects of airlift
bioreactors are dependent on the gas injection rate and the consequent
liquid circulation rate.
• In general, the rate of liquid circulation increases proportionally to the
square root of the airlift device’s height. Consequently, the aspect ratios of
the reactors are optimised. Since liquid circulation is driven by the
difference in gas holdup between the riser and the downcomer, circulation
is improved if there is little or no gas in the downcomer.
• All of the gas in the downcomer is entrained with the liquid as it flows
from the riser near the top of the reactor into the downcomer. At order
to limit or eliminate gas carryover to the downcomer, various types of
gas-liquid separators are sometimes utilised in the head zone.
• Compared to a reactor without a gas-liquid separator, the installation of
a well designed separator will always improve liquid circulation, i.e. the
enhanced driving force for circulation will more than compensate for
any greater flow resistance caused by the separator.
Features of Air-lift bioreactors

• Two zones are separated The zone that is sparged is referred to as the riser
and the zone that is fueled by no gas is called the downcomer.
• The density in the region of riser is less than in the downcomer area which
causes the circulation (so the circulation will be enhanced when there is
less or no gas in the region down).
• For maximum mass transfer the riser-to-downcomer cross-sectional area
ratio should fall between 1.8 to 4.3.
• The rate of circulation of liquid increases by an increase in the square of an
airlift system. Thus the reactors are built with large aspect ratios.
• A gas-liquid separator located in the head-zone could reduce gas carry-
over to the downstream and, consequently, improve the capacity of the
Mechanisms of Air-lift bioreactors

1. The performance of the bioreactors with airlift depend on pumping

(injection) by air as well as the circulation of liquid.
2. It differs than that of the Stirred tank bioreactor, which requires the heating
coat or plate around the tank to create a an insulated bioreactor. It is
obvious to see that Airlift bioreactor is more efficient in removing heat in
comparison to the Stirred tank.
Two-stage airlift bioreactors

• Two-stage airlift bioreactors are utilized for the formation of temperature-

dependent batches of substances.
• Cells that are growing from an individual bioreactor (maintained at
30degC) are transferred to another bioreactor (at temperature of 42degC).
• There is a need for the airlift bioreactor with two stages as it is difficult to
quickly raise the temperature from 30degC up to 42degC in an identical
vessel.
• Each of the bioreactors is equipped with valves and are connected via
pumps and transfer tubes.
• The cells are produced within the bioreactor, and the bioprocess itself is
carried out in the second one.
Advantages of Air-lift bioreactors

• Highly efficient in terms of energy efficiency and productivity. are similar to

stirred tank bioreactors.
• Simple design, no moving parts or an agitator to ensure lower
maintenance and less chance of a defect.
• Easier sterilization (no agitator shaft parts)
• Low energy requirement vs. stirred tank clearly doesn’t require energy for
the moving components (agitator shaft).
• More efficient heat removal vs. stirred tank In the Airlift bioreactor, there is
no need for the heat plate in order to control the temperature since the
Draught-Tube that is within the bioreactor is able to function as an the
internal exchanger of heat.
Disadvantages of Air-lift bioreactors

• More air flow and higher pressures are needed.

• The agitation in the Airlift bioreactor is controlled by the supply air . This
allows it to regulate the supply air, and the required pressure.
• the greater pressure of air required, then more energy consumption
required and more costs must be paid.
• Ineffectively break the foam when foaming takes place.
• There aren’t any bubble breakers, there aren’t any blades used to break the
bubbles that result from in the supply of air (sparger).
Applications of Air-lift bioreactors

• The reactor is commonly used in the culture of shear sensitive organisms.

• Airlift bioreactors are commonly employed for aerobic bioprocessing
technology. They ensure a controlled liquid flow in a recycle system by
pumping.
• Due to high efficiency, airlift bioreactors are sometimes preferred e.g.,
methanol production, waste water treatment, single-cell protein
production.
4. Packed Bed Reactors

• A packed bed is a bed of solid particles, typically with limiting walls. The
biocatalyst is supported on or within a porous or homogenous nonporous
solid matrix. Solids may consist of particles of a compressible polymeric
material or a more hard substance.
• A fluid containing nutrients circulates constantly across the bed to
supply the immobilised biocatalyst with the necessary nutrients.
• Metabolites and byproducts are released into the fluid, which is then
drained away. Flow may be uphill or downward, but under gravity,
downward flow is the norm. If the fluid ascends the bed, the maximum
flow velocity is restricted because it cannot exceed the minimum
fluidisation velocity; otherwise, the bed will fluidise.
• The depth of the bed is constrained by a number of parameters,
including the density and compressibility of the solids, the necessity to
maintain a specific minimum level of a key nutrient, such as O2, over the
entire depth, and the required flow rate for a given pressure drop.
• For a certain void volume (i.e. solids-free volume fraction of the bed), as
bed depth increases, the gravity-driven flow rate across the bed
decreases.
• As the fluid flows down the bed, the concentration of nutrients declines
and the concentrations of metabolites and products increase.
• Consequently, the environment of a packed bed is heterogeneous;
nevertheless, concentration fluctuations along the depth can be reduced
by increasing the flow rate. If the reaction consumes or generates H+ or
OH, pH gradients are possible. Due to poor mixing, controlling the pH
by adding acid and alkali is almost impossible.
• The concentration of the biocatalyst in a given volume of bed decreases
as voidage (void volume) increases. If the packing, i.e. the solids
supporting the biocatalyst, is compressible, its weight may compress the
bed if the packing height is not kept low.
• Flow through a compressed bed is problematic due to the decreased
voidage. Widespread usage of packed beds as immobilised enzyme
reactors. Thus, just a portion of the biocatalyst is exposed to amounts of
the product that impede its activity.
Features of Packed Bed Reactors

• A bed of particles are confined in the reactor. The biocatalyst (or cell) is
immobilized on the solids which may be rigid or macroporous particles.
• A fluid containing nutrients flows through the bed to provide the needs of
the immobilized biocatalyst. Metabolites and products are released into
the fluid and removed in the outflow.
• The flow can be upward or downward. If upward fluid is used, the velocity
can not exceed the minimum fluidization velocity.

Advantages of Packed Bed Reactors

• Higher conversion per unit mass of catalyst than other catalytic reactors
• Low operating cost.
• Continuous operation.
• No moving parts to wear out.
• Catalyst stays in the reactor 6. Reaction mixture/catalyst separation is easy
• Design is simple
• Effective at high temperatures and pressures
Disadvantages of Packed Bed Reactors

• Undesired heat gradients.

• Poor temperature control.
• Difficult to clean.
• Difficult to replace catalyst.
• Undesirable side reactions.
Application of Packed Bed Reactors

• These are used with immobilized or particulate biocatalysts.

• High conservation per weight of catalyst than other catalytic reactors. Thus
mostly preferred fermentor.
• Used is waste water treatment.
5. Fluidized Bed Bioreactor

• Fluidised bed bioreactors are appropriate for reactions involving a fluid-

suspended particulate biocatalyst, such as immobilised enzyme and cell
particles or microbial flocs. A liquid stream flowing upwards is utilised to
suspend or fluidize the particles.
• The reactor resembles a bubble column geometrically, except that the top
part is enlarged to reduce the surface velocity of the fluidizing liquid to a
level below that required to keep the solids in suspension.
• As a result, the solids sediment in the expanded zone and fall back into the
narrower reactor column below; hence, the particles remain in the reactor
while the liquid exits. A gas-liquid-solid fluid bed can be created by
sparging a liquid fluidised bed with air or another gas.
• If the solid particles are excessively light, they may need to be artificially
weighted, for as by inserting stainless steel balls in a solid matrix that is
otherwise light.
• Solids with a high density enhance mass transfer between solids and
liquids by raising the relative velocity between the phases. Denser solids
are also simpler to settle, but their density should not exceed that of the
liquid otherwise fluidisation will be challenging.
• The addition of a gas significantly increases turbulence and agitation in
liquid fluidised beds, which are typically rather calm. Even with relatively
light particles, the surface liquid velocity required to suspend the solids
may be so high that the liquid exits the reactor far too soon, i.e. the solid-
liquid contact duration is inadequate for the reaction.
• In this instance, it may be necessary to recycle the liquid in order to achieve
a sufficiently lengthy cumulative contact time with the biocatalyst.
• The minimum fluidisation velocity, i.e., the superficial liquid velocity
required to suspend solids from a settled condition, is determined by a
number of variables, such as the density difference between the phases,
the particle diameter, and the viscosity of the liquid.
Features of Fluidized Bed Bioreactor

• Suitable for reactions involving a fluid-suspended particulate biocatalyst

such as immobilized enzyme and cell particles.
• Similar to the bubble column reactor except that the top section is
expanded to reduce the superficial velocity of the fluidizing liquid to a level
below that needed to keep the solids in suspension.
• Consequently, the solids sediment in the expanded zone and drop back,
hence the solids are retained in the reactor whereas the liquid flows out.
• The properties include:
• Extremely high surface area contact between fluid and solid per unit
bed volume
• High relative velocities between the fluid and the dispersed solid
phase.
• High levels of intermixing of the particulate phase.
• Frequent particle-particle and particle-wall collisions.

Fig: Fludized bed bioreactor

Mechanism of Fluidized Bed Bioreactor

• For an efficient operation of fluidized beds, gas is spared to create a

suitable gas-liquid-solid fluid bed.
• It is also necessary to ensure that the suspended solid particles are not too
light or too dense (too light ones may float whereas to dense ones may
settle at the bottom), and they are in a good suspended state.
• Recycling of the liquid is important to maintain continuous contact
between the reaction contents and biocatalysts. This enable good
efficiency of bioprocessing.
Advantages of Fluidized Bed Bioreactor

• Uniform Particle Mixing

• Uniform Temperature Gradients
• Ability to Operate Reactor in Continuous State
Disadvantages of Fluidized Bed Bioreactor

• Increased Reactor Vessel Size

• Pumping Requirements and Pressure Drop
• Particle Entrainment
• Lack of Current Understanding
• Erosion of Internal Components
• Pressure Loss Scenarios
Application of Fluidized Bed Bioreactor

• These reactors can utilize high density of particles and reduce bulk fluid
density.
• Fluidized beds are used as a technical process which has the ability to
promote high levels of contact between gases and solids.
• In a fluidized bed a characteristic set of basic properties can be utilized,
indispensable to modern process and chemical engineering
• The food processing industry: fluidized beds are used to accelerate
freezing in some individually quick frozen (IQF) tunnel freezers.
• The fluid used in fluidized beds may also contain a fluid of catalytic type.
• Fluidized beds are also used for efficient bulk drying of materials.
• Fluidized bed technology in dryers increases efficiency by allowing for the
entire surface of the drying material to be suspended and therefore
exposed to the air.