Question

What is a bioreactor used for? Name a commonly used bioreactor and any two of its components.

Answer 1

• A bioreactor is a vessel in which raw materials are biologically converted into specific products, individual enzymes, etc., using microbial plant, animal or human cells.
• It provides the optimal conditions for achieving the desired product by providing optimum growth conditions (temperature, pH, substrate, salts, vitamins, oxygen). It has an agitator system, an oxygen delivery system, a foam control system, a temperature control system, pH, control system and sampling ports so that small volumes of the culture can be withdrawn periodically.
• Commonly used bioreactor are: Simple stirred tank bioreactor and Sparged stirred tank bioreactor.

A fully functional bioreactor requires perfect integration of several components to ensure that cultures will finish at the desired productivity. These components include a jacketed stainless steel vessel, temperature control, agitation, sparge gas control, head sweep gas control, pH and dissolved oxygen control.