Bioreactors

There are usually 3 main types of bioreactors by mode of operation.

The simplest is the batch bioreactor, in which there is no inflow or outflow of material. It starts with high concentrations of nutrients which deplete over time while wastes accumulate. Growing cells in a culture dish is an example of batch operation.

Another type is fed-batch operation, in which there is an inflow of nutrients to balance cell consumption but no outflow.

A third type is the perfusion bioreactor, which includes both inflow and outflow of media, and is commonly used in the production of pharmaceuticals. This mode of operation allows the most rapid and efficient production as the cells are close to exponential growth due to the constant supply of nutrients and removal of waste. However, it is also more complicated and expensive to implement than the other two.

Andrew Wong