Development of parallel miniature bubble column bioreactors for fermentation process

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In recent years, bioprocess development has been used scaled down bioreactors, parallel operation and on-line monitoring. In this study novel miniature bubble column bioreactors (MBCRs) have been developed. Reproducibility of the bioreactors, the effect of operational parameters and scale up to a conventional STR were studied. RESULTS: Fermentations in the parallel MBCRs were reproducible under the same conditions. Increasing the aeration rate had an insufficient effect on the specific growth rate ( ) of E. coli, but it led to an increase in the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (K L a) and evaporation rate. The oxygen uptake rate (OUR) remained constant at different aeration rates as well as . Increasing the temperature resulted in a significant increase in , K L a, evaporation rate and OUR. Control of the pH had a slight but sufficient effect on K L a. Scale up results with an equal K L a demonstrated good agreement between the MBCR and a conventional STR. According to the Damköhler number, the biochemical reaction was rate-limited. CONCLUSION: High achievable K L a in the MBCRs and successful scale-up suggested the present system was an efficient alternative to the stirred or shaken devices for high throughput cultivations.

A fully online sensor‐equipped, disposable multiphase microbioreactor as a screening platform for biotechnological applications

“…These values were comparable to the k L a values of other MBRs or miniaturized systems described in literature(Bolic et al, 2016;Doig, Diep, & Baganz, 2005;Doig, Ortiz-Ochoa, Ward, & Baganz, 2005;Kheradmandnia, Hashemi-Najafabadi, Shojaosadati, Mousavi, & Malek Khosravi, 2015;Kirk et al, 2016;Lladó Maldonado et al, 2018;Peterat et al, 2014;Weuster-Botz, Altenbach-Rehm, & Hawrylenko, 2001). The k L a was measured in triplicate via the dynamic gassing-out method (Figure 6) using the air flow rate applied during cultivation, resulting in a value of 204 1/hr with an OTR max of 48 mmol/(L·hr).…”

“…The k L a was measured in triplicate via the dynamic gassing-out method (Figure 6) using the air flow rate applied during cultivation, resulting in a value of 204 1/hr with an OTR max of 48 mmol/(L·hr). These values were comparable to the k L a values of other MBRs or miniaturized systems described in literature(Bolic et al, 2016;Doig, Diep, & Baganz, 2005;Doig, Ortiz-Ochoa, Ward, & Baganz, 2005;Kheradmandnia, Hashemi-Najafabadi, Shojaosadati, Mousavi, & Malek Khosravi, 2015;Kirk et al, 2016;Lladó Maldonado et al, 2018;Peterat et al, 2014;Weuster-Botz, Altenbach-Rehm, & Hawrylenko, 2001).…”

Novel electrodynamic oscillation technique enables enhanced mass transfer and mixing for cultivation in micro‐bioreactor

“…37,73 The highest comparable oxygen transfer was reported for a 20 mL miniaturized bubble column with oxygen transfer of 800/hr. 74 Conclusively, both outranging mixing time and oxygen transfer rates can be achieved in MBRs applying the here presented vertical oscillation technique. As a result, new operation windows are available enabling broad new biotechnological applications.…”

“…Applying higher liquid volumes >1 mL, shaken microtiter plates with specifically designed baffle structures for increased oxygen transfer were shown to achieve k L a ‐values of ≤460/hr . The highest comparable oxygen transfer was reported for a 20 mL miniaturized bubble column with oxygen transfer of 800/hr …”

Sterilizable Miniature Bioreactor Platform for Anaerobic Fermentation Process

“…Development of MiBRs have received increasing attention from acedemia and industry. To date, MiBRs have been applied in various research areas particularly on process development of biotechnology fermentation processes (Kheradmandnia et al, 2014). Clearly, MiBRs have the advantage in reducing the fermentation development time offer a less laborious operations, inexpensive to work with and enables in situ evaluation of process change for an existing operation (Schmideder et al, 2015).…”