Bioreactors

Biology Project

Samreen Rashid
XII G

D.A.V. Public SChool, Hehal, ranchi

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Table of contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...........................................................................................................................2

CERTIFICATE...........................................................................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................4

BIOREACTOR DESIGN............................................................................................................................5

BIOREACTOR WORKING PRINCIPLE...................................................................................................7

PARTS OF THE BIOREACTOR AND THEIR FUNCTION.....................................................................8

1. FERMENTER VESSEL/VESSEL.............................................................................................................8
2. HEATING AND COOLING APPARATUS..................................................................................................8
3. SEALING ASSEMBLY........................................................................................................................8
4. BAFFLES.......................................................................................................................................9
5. IMPELLER.....................................................................................................................................9
6. SPARGER......................................................................................................................................9
7. FEED PORTS................................................................................................................................10
8. FOAM CONTROL..........................................................................................................................10
9. VALVES......................................................................................................................................11
10. SAFETY VALVES........................................................................................................................11
11. AERATION SYSTEM...................................................................................................................11
12. FOAM-CONTROL......................................................................................................................12
13. CONTROLLING DEVICES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS.....................................................................13
14. FERMENTER USING COMPUTER....................................................................................................13

TYPES OF BIOREACTORS....................................................................................................................14

1. CONTINUOUS STIRRED TANK BIOREACTORS...........................................................................................14

2. AIRLIFT BIOREACTORS......................................................................................................................15
3. BUBBLE COLUMN BIOREACTORS.........................................................................................................16
4. FLUIDIZED BED BIOREACTORS.............................................................................................................17
5. PACKED BED BIOREACTORS...............................................................................................................18
6. PHOTOBIOREACTOR.........................................................................................................................19
7. MEMBRANE BIOREACTOR..................................................................................................................20

APPLICATIONS OF BIOREACTOR......................................................................................................21
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LIMITATIONS OF BIOREACTOR.........................................................................................................22

Certificate

This is to certify that Samreen Rashid of class XII

‘G’ has successfully completed his project on topic
‘Bioreactors’ as prescribed by Mr. Niraj Dubey
during the academic year 2022-23 as per the
guidelines given by CBSE.

Sign of Teacher Sign of

external
Niraj Dubey
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Acknowledgement

A project is a golden opportunity for learning and

self-development.
I would like to express my sincere thanks our
principal, M.K. Sinha sir, for presenting us with the
wonderful opportunity to do this project.
My heartfelt gratitude to my teacher Mr. Niraj
Dubey for his constant encouragement ad belief in
us that helped us achieve our objectives.
Secondly, I would also like to thank my parents and
friends who helped me a lot in finalizing this project
within the limited deadline.

Samreen Rashid
XII G
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Introduction

A bioreactor is a type of fermentation vessel 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. 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.

The bioreactors’ applications can be expanded to include biomass production like

single cell proteins baker’s yeast, animal microalgae, and cells and also for the
production of metabolites like organic acids as well as antibiotics, ethanol,
pigments, aromatic compounds as well as to alter substrates such as steroids and
to even produce both extracellular and intracellular enzymes. They can be utilized
for any biocatalytic process, including making enzymes, as well as the growth of
cells, tissues and organelles in the cell.

Bioreactors are usually constructed as cylindrical tanks equipped with an agitator

as well as an integral cooling or heating systems with sizes ranging from less than
1 liter to over 50,000 L usually comprised of glass-lined steel or glass.

The reactors are constructed to keep certain parameters, such as aeration rates,
flow rates temperatures as well as pH, foam control and the rate of agitation and
are able to provide an output to the these parameters to fix any deviation in their
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values. The efficiency of any bioreactor is dependent on the following main

elements: Agitation rate, oxygen transfer, temperature, foam production and pH.

A bioreactor should provide for the following:

 Agitation (for mixing of cells and medium).

 Aeration (aerobic fermenters); for O2 supply.

 Regulation of factors like temperature, pH, pressure, aeration, nutrient

feeding, and liquid leveled.

 Sterilization and maintenance of sterility.

 Withdrawal of cells/medium

 The vessel should be able to operate aseptically for a few days.

 The losses of the fermentation process from evaporation shouldn’t be too

high.

 A minimal amount of labor during production cleaning, harvesting, and

maintenance must be required.

 Internal smooth surfaces.

 Containment; the process of preventing the leakage of cells that are viable
from bioreactors or equipment downstream.

 Protection from contamination for aseptic operations.

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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 consists of various features such as an agitator system, an oxygen

delivery system, a foam control system, and a 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-
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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).

Points to keep in mind:

 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.
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 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.
 Bioreactors are usually operated with positive pressure to stop the entry of
contaminants.
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Bioreactor Working Principle

The bioreactor is the heart of any biochemical process as it provides a meticulous

environment for microorganisms to achieve optimal growth and produce
metabolites. In other words, for the biotransformation and bioconversion of
substrates into desirable products, reactors can be engineered or manufactured
based on the growth requirements of the organisms used. They could be used for
all types of biocatalysts including the production of enzymes and the growth of
tissues, cells and cellular organelles.

Reactors are machines that can be made to transform biological-based materials

into desirable products.

Bioreactors are generally classified into two broad categories:

Suspended Growth Bioreactors, which use microbial metabolism under aerobic,

anaerobic or sequential anaerobic/aerobic conditions to utilize substrates and
degrade them into residuals. Examples include batch reactors, continuous stirred
tank (CSTR), and plug flow reactors, etc.

Biofilm Bioreactors in which microorganisms mostly get attached to a surface and

adhered within the reactor, which could be used for the treatment of wastewater,
and the organisms present in biofilm, absorb and breakdown toxic substances in
the water. Examples include membrane, fluidized bed bioreactor, packed bed
bioreactor, airlift bioreactors and upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB)
reactors.
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Industries choose bioreactors based on the efficient production of bioenergy

through biomass and biofuel and to limit the pollutants generated from the
processes. Based on industrial requirements, the various types of bioreactors are
discussed along with their working principles and applications.

Parts of the Bioreactor and their Function

1. Fermenter Vessel/Vessel
The vessel is designed so that it requires minimum work to maintain it and work
can be carried out in a clean manner under carefully controlled conditions. The
inside of the vessel is smooth, and is constructed of low-cost substances that
provide the best outcomes. There are two kinds of fermenter vessels such as

 Glass fermenter preferred for small-scale fermentation. 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 fermenters
that measure around 60 cm.
 Stainless steel fermenter employed for large-scale fermentations in industrial
use. The vessels are able to withstand corrosion and pressure. The sterilization
process is performed in situ.

2. Heating and Cooling Apparatus

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.

The fermenter vessel’s exterior is fitted with a cooling jacket that seals the vessel
and provides cooling water. A cooling jacket is necessary for sterilization of the
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nutrient medium and removal of the heat generated during fermentation in the
fermenter.

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.

There are three types of sealing assembly in the fermenter:

 Packed gland seal

 Mechanical seal
 Magnetic drives

4. Baffles
Baffles are incorporated into fermenters to prevent a 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. Variable
impellers are used in the fermenters and are classified as follows:
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 Disc turbines: They comprise of a disc with a set of rectangular vanes. An air
stream from the sparger is allowed 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 comprise of 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 broth. It pushes
oxygen through pipes into fermenters to aerate them allowing yeast to convert
sugars from fruits, vegetables, grains, and juices into alcohol.

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
culture clear.

The sparger keeps the contents of fermenters mixed so they don’t get clumped
together which could prevent oxygen from getting into the fermenter. This could
cause bad smells.

Spargers made from stainless steel, brass and glass are the best. It must fit into
the fermenter’s opening without clogging.

Three kinds of spargers are utilized:

 Porous spargers: Consists 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.
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 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 by
allowing for small amounts of liquid to pass through them, so nutrients can be
added to or removed from fermenters without having to open them.

You can control the characteristics of the broth by controlling when each
ingredient is added. For example, malt extract can be added to the wort at the
beginning of the brewing process to give it time to turn sugars into alcohol.

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.
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9. Valves
Valves are employed in the fermenter 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

A bioreactor’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
fermenters are properly aerated.

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
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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.

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 and makes the most of energy and reduces water consumption
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by half compared to manual operations. This reduces costs and greenhouse gas
emissions.

To avoid contamination, the foam level in the vessel should be reduced. This is an
important aspect to the fermenter.

13. Controlling devices for environmental factors

Bioprocess industries have always struggled with controlling devices. Bioreactor
design must consider many parameters such as temperature, pH, and 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.

These devices will enable us to monitor and regulate environmental elements the
temperature, carbon dioxide, oxygen concentration, pH, cell mass and essential
nutrients levels 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.

14. Fermenter using Computer

Fermenters can be paired with semi-automatic and automated computers to
improve process efficiency, data collection, and monitoring. It can monitor
fermentation activity and automatically adjusts pH levels. It also pumps CO2 into
the mixture to maintain a constant level.

Users will have more information because computers are used in fermenters. The
output of each fermentation chamber will be visible. Users will be able view
temperature and progress of each fermenter, keep track of activity and compare
results.
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Types of Bioreactors

The bioreactor types used extensively in industries are:

1. Continuous Stirred Tank Bioreactors

A continuous stirred tank

bioreactor consists of a
cylindrical vessel with motor
driven central shaft that
supports one or more
agitators (impellers). The
shaft is fitted at the bottom
of the bioreactor. The
number of impellers is
variable and depends on the
size of the bioreactor i.e.,
height to diameter ratio,
referred to as aspect ratio.

The aspect ratio of a stirred tank bioreactor is usually 3-5. However, for animal
cell culture applications, the aspect ratio is less than 2. The diameter of the
impeller is usually 1/3rd of the vessel diameter. The distance between two
impellers is approximately 1.2 impeller diameter. Different types of impellers
(Rustom disc, concave bladed, marine propeller etc.) are in use.
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In stirred tank bioreactors or in short stirred tank reactors (STRs), the air is added
to the culture medium under pressure through a device called sparger. The
sparger may be a ring with many holes or a tube with a single orifice. The sparger
along with impellers (agitators) enables better gas distribution system throughout
the vessel.

The bubbles generated by sparger are broken down to smaller ones by impellers
and dispersed throughout the medium. This enables the creation of a uniform and
homogeneous environment throughout the bioreactor.

There are many advantages of STRs over other types. These include the efficient
gas transfer to growing cells, good mixing of the contents and flexible operating
conditions, besides the commercial availability of the bioreactors.

2. Airlift Bioreactors

The airlift reactor is generally used for gas-

liquid or gas-liquid-solid contact devices. It is
also known as a tower reactor.

In the airlift bioreactors, the medium of the

vessel is divided into two interconnected
zones by means of a baffle or draft tube to
improve circulation, oxygen transfer, and
equalize forces in the reactor

In a two-zone system, the zone referred to a

riser is sparged with air/gas. The zone in
which gas is not sparged is the downcomer. The dispersion flows up the riser zone
while the down flow occurs in the down comer.
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There are two types of airlift bioreactors.

Internal-loop airlift bioreactor: A single container with a central draft tube that
creates interior liquid circulation channels. These bioreactors are simple in design,
with volume and circulation at a fixed rate for fermentation.

External loop airlift bioreactor: Possesses an external loop so that the liquid
circulates through separate independent channels. These reactors can be suitably
modified to suit the requirements of different fermentations. In general, the airlift
bioreactors are more efficient than bubble columns, particularly for denser
suspensions of microorganisms. This is mainly because in these bioreactors, the
mixing of the contents is better compared to bubble columns.

This equipment has several advantages such as its simplicity of design because it
doesn’t contain any moving parts or agitators as well as its easy sterilization, its
low energy requirements, and its low cost.

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. In general, the
performance of the airlift bioreactors is dependent on the pumping (injection) of
air and the liquid circulation.

Two-stage airlift bioreactors:

Two-stage airlift bioreactors are used for the temperature dependent formation
of products. Growing cells from one bioreactor (maintained at temperature 30°C)
are pumped into another bioreactor (at temperature 42°C). There is a necessity
for the two-stage airlift bioreactor, since it is very difficult to raise the
temperature quickly from 30°C to 42°C in the same vessel. Each one of the
bioreactors is fitted with valves and they are connected by a transfer tube and
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pump. The cells are grown in the first bioreactor and the bioprocess proper takes
place in the second reactor.

Tower bioreactors:
A pressure-cycle fermenter with large dimensions constitutes a tower bioreactor.
A high hydrostatic pressure generated at the bottom of the reactor increases the
solubility of O2 in the medium. At the top of the riser, (with expanded top)
reduces pressure and facilitates expulsion of CO2. The medium flows back in the
down comer and completes the cycle. The advantage with tower bioreactor is
that it has high aeration capacities without having moving parts.

3. Bubble Column Bioreactors

The bubble column fermenter consists of a

cylindrical vessel with an aspect ratio of 4-6
(i.e., height to diameter ratio) 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 transfer and mixing of O2 and other performance factors.

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.
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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.

4. Fluidized Bed Bioreactors

Fluidized bed bioreactor is comparable to

bubble column bioreactor except the top
position is expanded to reduce the
velocity of the fluid. The design of the
fluidized bioreactors (expanded top and
narrow reaction column) is such that the
solids are retained in the reactor while the
liquid flows out.

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.

For an efficient operation of fluidized beds, gas is sparged 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
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of the liquid is important to maintain continuous contact between the reaction

contents and biocatalysts. This enables good efficiency of bioprocessing.

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.

These 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.

5. Packed Bed Bioreactors

A bed of solid particles, with biocatalysts on or

within the matrix of solids, packed in a column
constitutes a packed bed bioreactor. The solids
used may be porous or non-porous gels, and
they may be compressible or rigid in nature.

It can either be run in the submerged mode

(with or without aeration) or the trickle flow
mode.

A nutrient broth flows continuously over the

immobilized biocatalyst. The products obtained
in the packed bed bioreactor are released into the fluid and removed. While the
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flow of the fluid can be upward or downward, down flow under gravity is
preferred.

The concentration of the nutrients (and therefore the products formed) can be
increased by increasing the flow rate of the nutrient broth. Because of poor
mixing, it is rather difficult to control the pH of packed bed bioreactors by the
addition of acid or alkali. However, these bioreactors are preferred for
bioprocessing technology involving product-inhibited reactions. The packed bed
bioreactors do not allow accumulation of the products to any significant extent.

In packed-bed bioreactors, the air is introduced through a sieve that supports the
substrate.

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.

This reactor has many benefits, like a high conversion rate for the 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.

6. Photobioreactor

A photobioreactor is a specialized unit

for fermentation that can be carried
out either by exposure to direct
sunlight or artificially illumination. Since
artificial illumination is expensive, only
the outdoor photo-bioreactors are
preferred. Certain important
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compounds are produced by employing photo-bioreactors e.g., p-carotene,

asthaxanthin.

They are made up of glass or more commonly transparent plastic. The array of
tubes or flat panels constitute light receiving systems (solar receivers). In this
bioreactor, methods such as centrifugal pumps or airlift pumps can be used to
circulate the culture through solar receivers.

It is essential that the cells are in continuous circulation without forming

sediments. Further adequate penetration of sunlight should be maintained. The
tubes should also be cooled to prevent rise in temperature

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. The
organisms grow during day light while the products are produced during night.

7. Membrane bioreactor
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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.

However, membrane fouling is a chief obstacle to the extensive application of

MBRs. Moreover large-scale use of MBRs in waste water treatment will involve a
notable worthy decrease in price of the membranes.
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Applications of bioreactor

Type of bioreactor Applications

Antibiotics, citric acid, Exopolysaccharides, cellulose,

Stirred tank Chitinolytic enzymes, Laccase, Xylanase, Pectic and
bioreactor pectate lyase, Tissue mass culture, Lipase,
Polygalacturonases, Succinic acid

Antibiotics, Chitinolytic enzymes, Exopolysaccharides,

Airlift Bioreactors Gibberelic acid, Laccase, Cellulase, Lactic acid,
Polygalacturonases, Tissue mass culture

Bubble Column
Algal culture, Chitinolytic enzymes
Bioreactors

Fluidized Bed
Laccase
Bioreactors
Packed Bed
Laccase, Hydrogen, Organic acids, Mammalian cells,
Bioreactors

Wastewater treatment, water quality management,

Photobioreactor
remediation of contaminated soil

Membrane Alginate, Antibiotic, Cellulose hydrolysis, Hydrogen

bioreactor production, Water treatment, VOCs treatment
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Limitations of bioreactor

Types of bioreactor Limitation

Stirred tank bioreactor High shear stress
High power consumption
Moving internal parts
Bubble column Low photosynthetic efficiency
bioreactor
Airlift Non-uniform nutrient supply
Insufficient mixing
High viscosity can limit bulk circulation
Fluid bed fermenter Particle (breakup) is common
Increased reactor vessel size
Bubbling beds of fine particles are difficult to predict
and are less efficient.
Pipe and vessel walls erode due to collisions by
particles
Packed bed bioreactor Undesired heat gradients
Poor temperature control
Difficult to replace the catalyst
Photobioreactor Salability problems
Require temperature maintenance as they lack
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