Connecting Bioreactors

The reaction rate is proportional to the concentration of the reactant, except for zero order reactions
 If a is a reactant with limited availability, THEN normalize NA in
terms of the fractional conversion of A, XA

NA = NAo (1 – XA)
For ideal continuous reactors:
PFR is always a smaller reactor for a given conversion when
Autocatalytic reactions (e.g. cell growth)
Adiabatic or non-isothermal exothermic reactions
Product inhibited reactions (some enzymes)
 Connecting CSTR Bioreactors

CSTR in parallel CSTR in series

Adapted from Bioreaction Engineering Principales Villadsen et al 2001

Connecting CSTRs in series

Adapted from Bioreaction Engineering Principales Villadsen et al 2001

 One CSTR vs two CSTRs
The sum of two CSTR volumes (4,02 m3), connected in series is smaller than the volumen of
one CSTR (6,4 m3), to achieve the same conversión (X=0,8)
Multiple CSTRs in series begin to approximate to a single PFR reactor
 Plug Flow Reactors (PFRs)

o Arranged as one long reactor or many short reactors in a tube bank

o No radial variation in reaction rate (concentration)
o NO mixing in the axial direction, or no axial dispersion Concentration
changes with length down the reactor

dV
The PFR starts at the higher rate at the entrance and gradually
decreases to the exit rate, thereby requiring lees volume

-rA

X
...
In summary: