Types of bioreactor

The fermentor (bioreactor) types used extensively in industries are

1. Continuous stirred tank fermentor
 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.
Types of bioreactor
The fermentor (bioreactor) types used extensively in industries are
1. Continuous stirred tank fermentor
 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
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.
 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.
 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
 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.

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

Some important applications of the bioreactor are:

Type of bioreactor Applications

Antibiotics, citric acid, Exopolysaccharides, cellulose, Chitinolytic

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

Bubble column fermentor Algal culture, Chitinolytic enzymes

Antibiotics, Chitinolytic enzymes, Exopolysaccharides, Gibberelic

Airlift fermentor 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, remediation of

Photobioreactor
contaminated soil

Alginate, Antibiotic, Cellulose hydrolysis, Hydrogen production,

Membrane bioreactor
Water treatment, VOCs treatment
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

Salability problems

Require temperature maintenance as they lack evaporative cooling

Photobioreactor
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