The heart of the fermentation or bioprocess technology is the Fermentor or Bioreactor. A bioreactor is basically a device in which the organisms are cultivated to form the desired products. it is a containment system designed to give right environment for optimal growth and metabolic activity of the organism. A fermentor usually refers to the containment system for the cultivation of prokaryotic cells, while a bioreactor grows the eukaryotic cells (mammalian, insect cells, etc).

1. Types of
Bioreactor / Fermenter
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Powerpoint Templates
Page 1

2. Bioreactor / Fermenter
A bioreactor is basically a device in which the
organisms are cultivated to form the desired
products.
It is a containment system designed to give right
environment for optimal growth and metabolic
activity of the organism.
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 2

3. Bioreactor / Fermenter
Powerpoint Templates
Page 3

4. Types of Bioreactors
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Stirred Tank Bioreactor
Airlift Bioreactor
Packed Bed Bioreactor
Fluidized Bed Bioreactor
Photo Bioreactor
Membrane Bioreactor
Rotary Drum Bioreactor
Mist Bioreactor
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 4

5. Stirred Tank Bioreactor
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 5

6. Advantages of
Stirred Tank Bioreactor
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Continuous operation.
Good temperature control.
Easily adapts to two phase runs.
Good control.
Simplicity of construction.
Low operating cost.
Easy to clean.
Powerpoint Templates
Page 6

7. Disadvantages of
Stirred Tank Bioreactor
•
•
The need for shaft seals and bearings.
Size limitation by motor size, shaft length & weight.
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 7

8. Airlift Bioreactor
Powerpoint Templates
Page 8

9. Advantages of
Airlift Fermenter
•
•
•
•
•
Simple design
Easier sterilization (no agitator shaft parts)
Low Energy requirement vs stirred tank
Greater heat-removal vs stirred tank
Very low cost
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 9

10. Disadvantages of
Airlift Fermenter
• Greater air throughput and higher
pressures needed.
• Inefficient break the foam when
foaming occurs.
• NO bubbles breaker
Powerpoint Templates
Page 10

11. Packed Bed Bioreactor
Powerpoint Templates
Page 11

12. Advantages of
Packed Bed Reactor
• 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
• Reaction mixture/catalyst separation is
easy
• Effective at high temperatures and
pressures
Powerpoint Templates
Page 12

13. Disadvantages of Packed Bed
Reactor
•
•
•
•
•
Undesired heat gradients
Poor temperature control
Difficult to clean
Difficult to replace catalyst
Undesirable side reactions
Powerpoint Templates
Page 13

14. Fluidized Bed Bioreactor
Powerpoint Templates
Page 14

15. Advantages of Fluidized Bed
Reactor
• Uniform Particle Mixing:
• Uniform Temperature Gradients
• Ability to Operate Reactor in Continuous
State
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 15

16. Disadvantages of Fluidized Bed
Reactor
• Increased Reactor Vessel Size
• Pumping Requirements and Pressure
Drop
• Particle Entrainment
• Lack of Current Understanding
• Erosion of Internal Components
• Pressure Loss Scenarios
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 16

17. Photo Bioreactor
Powerpoint Templates
Page 17

18. Advantages of Photobioreactor
•
•
•
•
Higher productivity
Large surface-to-volume ratio
Better control of gas transfer.
Reduction in evaporation of growth
medium.
• More uniform temperature.
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 18

19. Disadvantages of
Photobioreactor
• Capital cost is very high.
• The productivity and production cost in
some enclosed photobioreactor systems
are not much better than those achievable
in open-pond cultures.
• The technical difficulty in sterilizing
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 19

20. Membrane Bioreactor
Powerpoint Templates
Page 20

21. Advantages of membrane
bioreactor
• The loss of enzyme is reduced.
• Enzyme lost by denaturation can be made
up by periodic addition of enzyme.
• Substrate and enzyme can be easily
replaced.
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 21

22. Rotary Drum Bioreactor
Powerpoint Templates
Page 22

23. Advantages of
Rotary Drum Reactor
• High oxygen transfer.
• Good mixing facilitates better growth
and impart less hydrodynamic stress.
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 23

24. Disadvantages of
Rotary Drum Reactor
• Difficult to scale up.
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 24

25. Mist Bioreactor
Powerpoint Templates
Page 25

26. Advantages of Mist Bioreactor
• High oxygen transfer.
• Hydrodynamic stress elimination.
• Low production cost.
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 26

27. Disadvantages of
Mist Bioreactor
• Mesh trays and cylindrical stainless
steel meshes are required
Powerpoint Templates
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Page 27

28. Click here to read more on Types of Biore
www.technologyinscience.blogspot.com
Powerpoint Templates
Page 28