Evaluation of a new mist‐chamber bioreactor for biotechnological applications

Abstract

In this article we describe the development, the characterization and the evaluation of a novel bioreactor type for the cultivation of different pro- and eukaryotic cell-systems: the mist-chamber bioreactor. This innovative bioreactor meets the demand of cultivation systems for shear stress sensitive cells with high requirements for gas supply. Within the mist-chamber bioreactor the cells are cultivated inside an aerosol of vaporized medium generated by ultrasonic vaporization. In contrast to many established bioreactor systems the mist-chamber bioreactor offers an environment with an excellent gas supply without any impeller or gas bubble induced shear stress. A mist-chamber bioreactor prototype has been manufactured and characterized during this work. In the technical and chemical characterization we evaluated the vaporization process, resulting in a vaporization performance of 32 mL/h at working conditions. On this basis we calculated a biomass of 1.4 g (S. cerevisiae, qs = 3.45 × 10-3 mol/g/h) and 3.4 g (Aspergillus niger, qs = 1.33 × 10-3 mol/g/h) where the growth rate becomes limited by transport processes. Additionally, we determined a homogenous cultivation area to a height of 3 cm giving a total volume of 0.45 L for the cultivation. Medium components were examined according to their stability during vaporization with the result that all components are stable for at least 5 days. After the technical characterization we demonstrated the feasibility to cultivate S. cerevisiae and F. velupites in the mist-chamber bioreactor. The results demonstrated that the mist-chamber bioreactor is able to transport a sufficient amount of nutrients consistently to the cell samples and offers an excellent oxygen supply without any shear stress inducing aeration. Furthermore we successfully cultivated F. velupites in a solid state cultivation in a long term experiment. The data indicate that the new bioreactor concept can contribute to improve various fermentations and cell culture processes depending on the cultured cell types.

Bioreactor Technology for Sustainable Production of Plant Cell-Derived Products

“…It is then recirculated and may be stored in a reservoir tank. This class of bioreactors is characterised by extremely low mechanical stress and high gas mass transfer rates [68,69]. However, the designated plant tissues should be adapted to non-submersed growth.…”

Small-Scale Bioreactor for Sterile Hydroponics and Hairy Roots: Metabolic Diversity and Salicylic Acid Exudation by Hairy Roots of Hyoscyamus niger

“…Different concepts have been pursued to improve oxygen supply to hairy roots in mid-and large-scale bioreactors [22,39]. Apart from conventional stirred bioreactors [40] and stirred bioreactors modified to reduce sharing damage [22,41], hairy root cultures have been grown in plastic sleeve reactors [42], bubble reactors [43], mist reactors [44,45], airlift reactors [46], and liquid-dispersed reactors [47]. The implementation of these concepts focused on midscale bioreactors for research on hairy roots and on industrial bioreactors.…”