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Bioreactor- Definition, Design, Principle, Parts, Types,

Applications, Limitations
May 7, 2023 by Sanjogta Thapa Magar

Edited By: Sagar Aryal

Table of Contents
Bioreactor Definition
Bioreactor Design
Bioreactor Principle
Parts of the bioreactor and their function
1. Fermenter Vessel
2. Heating and Cooling Apparatus
3. Aeration System
4. Sealing Assembly
5. Baffles
6. Impeller
7. Sparger
8. Feed Ports
9. Foam-Control
10. Valves
11. Controlling Devices for Environmental Factors
12. Use of Computer in Fermenter
Types of bioreactor
1. Continuous stirred tank fermentor
2. Airlift fermentor

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 3. Bubble column fermentor
4. Fluidized-bed fermentor
5. Packed bed fermentor
6. Photobioreactor
7. Membrane bioreactor
Applications of bioreactor
Limitations of bioreactor
References

Bioreactor Definition
A bioreactor is a type of fermentation vessel that is used for the production
of various chemicals and biological reactions. It is a closed container with
adequate arrangement for aeration, agitation, temperature and pH control,
and drain or overflow vent to remove the waste biomass of cultured
microorganisms along with their products.

A bioreactor should provide for the following:

1. Agitation (for mixing of cells and medium),

2. Aeration (aerobic fermentors); for O2 supply,

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 3. Regulation of factors like temperature, pH, pressure, aeration, nutrient
feeding, and liquid leveled.
4. Sterilization and maintenance of sterility, and
5. Withdrawal of cells/medium

Bioreactors are used for the production of biomass, metabolites, and

antibiotics.

Bioreactor. Created with BioRender.com.

Bioreactor Design
The design and mode of operation of a bioreactor are based on the
production of an organism, optimum conditions required for desired
product formation, product value, and its scale of production.
A good bioreactor design will help to improve productivity and provide
higher quality products at lower prices.
A bioreactor is a device that consists of various features such as an
agitator system, an oxygen delivery system, a foam control system, and a

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 variety of other systems such as temperature & pH control system,
sampling ports, cleaning, and sterilization system, and lines for charging
& emptying the reactor.
The material used for the construction of a bioreactor must have the
following important properties:
It should not be corrosive.
It should not add any toxic substances to the fermentation media.
It should tolerate the steam sterilization process.
It should be able to tolerate high pressure and resist pH changes.

The sizes of the bioreactor vary widely depending on the application.

Some bioreactors are designed for small scale fermenters and some for
large scale industrial applications from the microbial cell (few mm3) to
shake flask (100-1000 ml) to the laboratory-scale fermenter (1 – 50 L) to
pilot level (0.3 – 10 m3) to plant scale (2 – 500 m3) for large volume).

Bioreactor Principle

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 The bioreactor is the heart of any biochemical process as it provides an
environment for microorganisms to obtain optimal growth and produce
metabolites for the biotransformation and bioconversion of substrates
into desirable products.
The reactors can be engineered or manufactured based on the growth
requirements of the organisms used.
Reactors are machines that can be made to transform biological-based
materials into desirable products.
They can be used for the production of various enzymes and other bio-
catalysis processes.

Parts of the bioreactor and their function

These reactors have been designed to maintain certain parameters like
flow rates, aeration, temperature, pH, foam control, and agitation rate.
The number of parameters that can be monitored and controlled is
limited by the number of sensors and control elements incorporated into
a given bioreactor

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 Other factors should be kept in mind before designing a fermenter as
described below and demonstrated in the figure below.

Figure: Bioreactor. Image Source: Kuila, A., & Sharma, V. (2018). Principles and applications
of fermentation technology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

1. Fermenter Vessel
A fermenter is a large cylinder closed at the top and bottom connected
with various pipes and valves.

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 The vessel is designed in such a way that it allows to work under
controlled conditions.
Glass and stainless steels are two types of fermenter vessels used.
The glass vessel is usually used in small-scale industries. It is non-toxic
and corrosion-proof.
Stainless steel vessel is used in large scale industries. It can resist
pressure and corrosion.

2. Heating and Cooling Apparatus

The fermentor vessel’s exterior is fitted with a cooling jacket that seals
the vessel and provides cooling water.
Thermostatically controlled baths or internal coils are generally used to
provide heat while silicone jackets are used to remove excess heat.
A cooling jacket is necessary for sterilization of the nutrient medium and
removal of the heat generated during fermentation in the fermentor.

3. Aeration System
An aeration system is one of the very important parts of a fermentor.
It is important to choose a good aeration system to ensure proper
aeration and oxygen availability throughout the culture.
It contains two separate aeration devices (sparger and impeller) to
ensure proper aeration in a fermentor.
The stirring accomplishes two things:
It helps to mix the gas bubbles through the liquid culture medium and
It helps to mix the microbial cells through the liquid culture medium which
ensures the uniform access of microbial cells to the nutrients.

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 4. Sealing Assembly
The sealing assembly is used for the sealing of the stirrer shaft to offer
proper agitation.
There are three types of sealing assembly in the fermenter:
Packed gland seal
Mechanical seal
Magnetic drives

5. Baffles
The baffles are incorporated into fermenters to prevent a vortex improve
aeration in the fermenters.
It consists of metal strips attached radially to the wall.

6. Impeller
Impellers are used to provide uniform suspension of microbial cells in
different nutrient mediums.
They are made up of impeller blades attached to a motor on the lid.
Impeller blades play an important role in reducing the size of air bubbles
and distribute them uniformly into the fermentation media.
Variable impellers are used in the fermenters and are classified as
follows.
Disc turbines
Variable pitch open turbine

7. Sparger
A sparger is a system used for introducing sterile air to a fermentation
vessel. It helps in providing proper aeration to the vessel.

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 The sparger pipes contain small holes of about 5-10 mm, through which
pressurized air is released.
Three types of sparger are used
Porous sparger
Nozzle sparger
Combined sparger–agitator

8. Feed Ports
They are used to add nutrients and acid/alkali to the fermentor.
Feed ports are tubes made up of silicone.
In-situ sterilization is performed before the removal or addition of the
products.

9. Foam-Control
The level of foam in the vessel must be minimized to avoid
contamination, this is an important aspect of the fermentor.
Foam is controlled by two units, foam sensing, and a control unit.
A foam-controlling device is mounted on top of the fermentor, with an
inlet into the fermentor.

10. Valves
Valves are used in the fermentor to control the movement of liquid in the
vessel.
There are around five types of valves are used, that is,
globe valve,
butterfly valve,
a ball valve, and

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 diaphragm valve.
A safety valve is built-in in the air and pipe layout to operate under
pressure

11. Controlling Devices for Environmental Factors

A variety of devices are utilized to control environmental elements like
temperature, oxygen concentration, pH, cell mass, essential nutrient
levels, and product concentration.

12. Use of Computer in Fermenter

For an efficient process, monitoring, and data collecting, fermentors are
generally coupled with modern automated and semi-automated
computers and databases.

Types of bioreactor
The fermentor (bioreactor) types used extensively in industries are

1. Continuous stirred tank fermentor

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 A continuous stirred tank bioreactor is made up of a cylindrical vessel
with a central shaft controlled by a motor that supports one or more
agitators (impellers).
The sparger, in combination with impellers (agitators), allows for
improved gas distribution throughout the vessel.
A stirred tank bioreactor can be operated continuously in the fermentor,
temperature control is effortless, construction is
cheap, easy to operate, resulting in low labor cost, and it is easy to clean.
It is the most common type of bioreactor used in industry.

Figure: Continuous stirred tank fermentor. Image Source: Saran, S.,

Malaviya, A., & Chaubey, A. (2019). Introduction, scope and significance of
fermentation technology. High Value Fermentation Products, 1–25.
https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119460053.ch1

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 2. Airlift fermentor
The airlift reactor is generally used for gas-liquid or gas-liquid-solid
contact devices. It is also known as a tower reactor.
A bioreactor using an airlift system divides the fluid volume into two
zones to improve circulation, oxygen transfer, and equalize forces in the
reactor
In a two-zone system, only one zone is sparged with gas. The zone
where the gas is sparged is the riser; the zone in which it is not sparged
in the downcomer.
Airlift bioreactors are used for aerobic bioprocessing technology so that
they can provide a controlled liquid flow in a recycling system using
pumps.
This equipment has several advantages such as its simplicity of design
because it doesn’t contain any moving parts or agitators, its easy
sterilization, its low energy requirements, and its low cost.

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 Figure: Airlift fermentor. Image Source: Kuila, A., & Sharma, V. (2018).
Principles and applications of fermentation technology. John Wiley & Sons,
Inc.

3. Bubble column fermentor

The bubble column fermentor consists of a cylindrical vessel equipped
with a gas sparger that pushes gas bubbles into a liquid phase or a
liquid-solid suspension.
The base of the column air or gas is introduced via perforated pipes or
plates, or metal micro porous sparger.
The rheological properties of the fluid and the gas flow rate have a
significant influence on the mixing of O2 and other performance factors.

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 To improve mass transfer and modify the basic design of the vessel,
internal devices such as horizontal perforated plates, vertical baffles,
and corrugated sheet packings placed are in the vessel.
These reactors are simple in construction, easy maintenance, and have a
low operating cost
Bubble columns reactors are used in biochemical processes such as
fermentation and biological wastewater treatment. It is also used in many
chemical, petrochemical, and biochemical industries.

Figure: Bubble column fermentor. Image

Source: Kuila, A., & Sharma, V. (2018).
Principles and applications of fermentation
technology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

4. Fluidized-bed fermentor

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 Fluid bed bioreactors constitute packed beds with smaller particles. This
prevents problems such as clogging, high liquid pressure drop,
channeling, and bed compaction associated with packed bed reactors.
Catalyst is laid on the bottom of the reactor and the reactants are
pumped into the reactor through a distributor pump to make the bed
fluidized.
In these reactors, the cells are immobilized small particles which move
with the fluid as a result, mass transfer, oxygen transfer, and nutrition to
the cells are enhanced.
The bioreactors can be used for reactions involving fluid-suspended
biocatalysts, such as immobilized enzymes, immobilized cells, and
microbial flocs.
Its main advantages include its ability to maintain even temperatures,
easy replacement and regeneration of the catalyst, continuity, and
automaticity of operation, and reduced contact time between gas and
solid, compared to other catalytic reactors.

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 Figure: Fluidized-bed fermentor. Image Source: Singh, J., Kaushik, N.,
& Biswas, S. (2014). Bioreactors – Technology & Design Analysis. April
2016.

5. Packed bed fermentor

A packed bed fermentor is a bed of solid particles, having biocatalyst on
or within, the matrix of solids.
It can either be run in the submerged mode (with or without aeration) or
the trickle flow mode.
Frequently used in chemical processing processes such as absorption,
distillation, stripping, separation process, and catalytic reactions, packed
bed reactors are also called fixed bed reactors.
In packed-bed bioreactors, the air is introduced through a sieve that
supports the substrate.
This reactor has many benefits, like a high conversion rate for the

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 catalyst, ease of operation, low construction and operation costs,
increased contact between reactant and catalyst, and the ability to work
in high temperatures and pressures.

Figure: Packed bed fermentor. Image Source: Kuila, A., & Sharma, V. (2018). Principles and
applications of fermentation technology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

6. Photobioreactor

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 Figure: Photobioreactor. Image Source: Singh, J., Kaushik, N., &
Biswas, S. (2014). Bioreactors – Technology & Design Analysis.
April 2016.

A photobioreactor is a specialized unit for fermentation that is either

illuminated by direct sunlight or artificially illuminated
They are made up of glass or more commonly transparent plastic and
the tubes or flat panels is consist of light receiving systems.
In this bioreactor, centrifugal pumps or airlift pumps can be used to
circulate the medium through solar receivers.
Photo-bioreactors are usually operated in a continuous mode at a
temperature in the range of 25–40 °C.
Photobioreactors are used for the photosynthetic culture of microalgae
and cyanobacteria to produce products such as astaxanthin and β-
carotene.

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 Figure: Types of photobioreactor. Image Source: Singh, J., Kaushik, N., & Biswas, S.
(2014). Bioreactors – Technology & Design Analysis. April 2016.

7. Membrane bioreactor
This system combines traditional treatment with membrane filtration,
resulting in the removal of organics and suspended solids as well as the
removal of high nutrient levels.
Membranes in this system are submerged in an aerated biological
reactor. The pore size of the membrane ranges from 0.035 microns to
0.4 microns.
With pure oxygen, the benefits of this bioreactor are enhanced resulting
in even higher rate biological treatment systems that provide compact
control of COD, microorganisms.

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 Figure: Membrane bioreactor. Image Source: Kuila, A., & Sharma, V. (2018). Principles and
applications of fermentation technology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Applications of bioreactor
Some important applications of the bioreactor are:

Type of bioreactor Applications

Antibiotics, citric acid, Exopolysaccharides, cellulose,

Chitinolytic enzymes, Laccase, Xylanase, Pectic, and

Stirred tank fermenter

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 pectate lyase, Tissue mass culture, Lipase,

Polygalacturonases, Succinic acid

Bubble column fermentor Algal culture, Chitinolytic enzymes

Antibiotics, Chitinolytic enzymes, Exopolysaccharides,

Airlift fermentor Gibberelic acid, Laccase, Cellulase, Lactic acid,

Polygalacturonases, Tissue mass culture

Fluid bed fermentor Laccase

Packed bed fermentor Laccase, Hydrogen, Organic acids, Mammalian cells,

Wastewater treatment, water quality management,

Photobioreactor
remediation of contaminated soil

Alginate, Antibiotic, Cellulose hydrolysis, Hydrogen

Membrane bioreactor
production, Water treatment, VOCs treatment

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Limitations of bioreactor

Types of bioreactor Limitation

High shear stress

Stirred tank fermenter High power consumption

Moving internal parts

Bubble column bioreactor Low photosynthetic efficiency

Non-uniform nutrient supply

Airlift Insufficient mixing

High viscosity can limit bulk circulation

Particle (breakup) is common

Increased reactor vessel size

Fluid bed fermentor

Bubbling beds of fine particles are difficult to predict and

are less efficient.

Pipe and vessel walls erode due to collisions by particles

Undesired heat gradients

Packed bed bioreactor Poor temperature control

Difficult to replace the catalyst

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 Salability problems

Require temperature maintenance as they lack

Photobioreactor evaporative cooling

Periodic cleaning due to light exposure

Need maximum light exposure

Membrane bioreactor Biofilm overgrowth leads to periodic cleaning

The membrane can rupture at high flow rates

Read Also:
Physical methods of sterilization- Heat, Filtration, Radiation
Microbial Culture Media- Definition, Types, Examples, Uses
Organic waste recycling (methods, steps, significance, barriers)
Incinerator- Principle, Procedure, Parts, Types, Uses, Examples
What are Bacteria?- A Complete Study Note and Guide

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 References
1. Chisti, Y. (2006). Bioreactor design. Basic Biotechnology: Third Edition,
m, 181–200. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511802409.009
2. Ghosh, B., Bhattacharya, D., & Mukhopadhyay, M. (2018). Use of
Fermentation Technology for Value-Added Industrial Research.
Principles and Applications of Fermentation Technology, August, 141–
161. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119460381.ch8
3. Jaibiba, P., Vignesh, S. N., & Hariharan, S. (2020). Working principle of
typical bioreactors. In Bioreactors. INC. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-
12-821264-6.00010-3
4. Mandenius, C.-F. (2016). Challenges for Bioreactor Design and
Operation. Bioreactors, 1–34.
https://doi.org/10.1002/9783527683369.ch1
5. Muniraj, I. K., Desikan, R., & Subburamu, K. (2019). Perspectives and
Prospects of Fermentation Technology. Advances in Food Bioproducts
and Bioprocessing Technologies, July 2020, 217–232.
https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429331817-10
6. Kuila A and Sharma V (2018). In Principles and Applications of
Fermentation Technology. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119460381
7. Rose, A. H. (1985). Principles of fermentation technology. In Trends in
Biotechnology (Vol. 3, Issue 9). https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-
7799(85)90016-2
8. Singh, J., Kaushik, N., & Biswas, S. (2014). Bioreactors – Technology &
Design Analysis. April 2016, 27–36.
9. Spier, M. R., Vandenberghe, L. P. D. S., Medeiros, A. B. P., & Soccol, C. R.
(2011). Application of different types of bioreactors in bioprocesses. In
Bioreactors: Design, Properties, and Applications (Issue February 2016).

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10. Viswalingam, K., & Solomon, F. E. (2013). A Comparative Study on Bio
Reactors. Indian Journal of Economics and Development, May, 104–107.
11. Zhong, J. J. (2010). Recent advances in bioreactor engineering. Korean
Journal of Chemical Engineering, 27(4), 1035–1041.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-010-0277-5.

About Author

Sanjogta Thapa Magar

Sanjogta Thapa Magar has done Master’s degree (M.Sc.) in food

microbiology from St. Xavier’s college. Currently, she is working as a
Quality control microbiologist in the pharmaceutical industry. She is
particularly interested in studying the antimicrobial property found in
food.

3 thoughts on “Bioreactor- Definition, Design, Principle, Parts,

Types, Applications, Limitations”

Dinesh
November 21, 2023 at 10:27 PM

Hi really very informative and please send me the soft copy

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Page 25 of 31
:
 [email protected]
Regards
Dinesh

Reply

Ashraf Suri
March 7, 2023 at 11:10 AM

Hi Sanjogta,
Thank you so much for sharing the information. I am looking for real
bioreactor data for batch process use case to train my machine
learning model. Please advise if you could help on getting a data
set like that.

Thanks again,
Ashraf Suri
email: [email protected]

Reply

Debabrota roy
February 24, 2023 at 8:01 PM

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 Mahaveer publication copied it

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