Stirred-Tank Bioreactors (STR)
The most common type, featuring mechanical agitation for mixing and aeration. Versatile for microbial and cell cultures.
Key Features: Impellers, baffles, spargers.
Applications: Fermentation of bacteria, yeast, large-scale mammalian cell culture.
Airlift Bioreactors
Utilize pneumatic lift for circulation, offering gentle mixing without mechanical agitators. Ideal for shear-sensitive cells.
Key Features: Draft tube, gas sparger.
Applications: Plant cell cultures, animal cell cultures, production of antibodies.
Bubble Column Bioreactors
Simple design where gas is sparged at the bottom, creating bubbles that drive circulation and mixing. Efficient for gas-liquid mass transfer.
Key Features: Gas sparger.
Applications: Aerobic fermentations, wastewater treatment.
Wave Bioreactors
Utilize a rocking motion to create waves of media, providing gentle aeration and mixing. Disposable bags reduce contamination risk.
Key Features: Disposable bag, rocking platform.
Applications: Mammalian cell culture, seed train expansion.
Packed-Bed Bioreactors
Cells are immobilized on a solid support matrix. Media flows through the bed, allowing for high cell densities and continuous operation.
Key Features: Immobilization matrix.
Applications: Enzyme production, wastewater treatment, immobilized cell processes.
Fluidized-Bed Bioreactors
Similar to packed-bed but the solid support particles are suspended by the upward flow of media, preventing clogging and improving mass transfer.
Key Features: Suspended support particles.
Applications: Biofiltration, cell culture, enzyme immobilization.