Principles of Bioreactors

The functioning of bioreactors is determined by many essential factors that oversee biological processes, environmental conditions, and the pace of microbial development and manufacturing.

Biological Reactions in Bioreactors

• In bioreactors, biological processes are usually mediated by microbial growth and metabolism, in which microorganisms use substrates to generate desired products.
• These reactions can include a variety of procedures, including cellular metabolism, enzymatic conversions, and fermentation.
• The ideal conditions for these reactions are provided by the bioreactor, which has the right amounts of nutrients, oxygen, temperature, and pH.

Factors Affecting the Performance of a Bioreactor

A number of variables affect how well bioreactors operate, including

• Temperature: Microorganisms require the ideal temperature to be maintained for growth and activity. Certain microorganisms require a particular temperature to function at their best.
• pH: Enzyme activity, microbial growth, and product production are all impacted by pH levels. The ideal circumstances for biological responses must be maintained by keeping pH within the appropriate range.
• Agitation and Mixing: The equal distribution of microbes, oxygen, and nutrients throughout the bioreactor is ensured via agitation. The performance of a bioreactor is improved by proper mixing, which reduces substrate gradients and improves mass transfer.
• Oxygen Level: Aerobic bacteria growth and metabolism depend on oxygen. A crucial factor in the design of a bioreactor is the oxygen transfer rate (OTR), which guarantees an adequate supply of oxygen for microbial activity.
• Nutrient Availability: The development of microorganisms and the production of products depend on an adequate supply of nutrients, including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and trace elements. Bioreactor performance is maximized by nutrient concentration monitoring and control.

Kinetics of Microbial Growth and Product Formation

In bioreactors, microbial growth and product synthesis adhere to certain kinetic patterns, such as

• Microbial Growth Kinetics: There are four stages of growth that microorganisms go through: the lag, exponential, stationary, and death phases. Temperature, pH, substrate concentration, and nutrient availability are some of the variables that affect growth rate.
• Product Formation Kinetics: Specific kinetics are followed in the manufacture of desired products, which are impacted by metabolic pathways, substrate concentration, microbial growth rate, and product inhibition.

Bioreactors are specialized containers or setups used to facilitate the controlled development of bacteria or cells. There are various types of bioreactors including stirred tank bioreactors and photobioreactors. Bioreactors are also known as fermenters in which the fermentation process occurs.

Bioreactors class 12 covers basic concepts which are important for understanding this process. In this article, we will cover bioreactor uses, bioreactor parts and their functions, and more.