Simulating of Microbial Growth Scale Up in a Stirred Tank Bioreactor for Aerobic Processes using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Abstract

In this paper, the effects of some empirical scale up criteria (Reynold´s number and Impeller power per bioreactor volume) on gas-liquid mass transfer and microbial growth rates are analyzed using computational fluid dynamics simulations in a stirred tank bioreactor. The effects of turbulence, fluid flow and bubbles dynamics were simulated by using a two equation turbulence model, a multiple reference frame and a population balance, respectively. The impeller power per bioreactor volume scale up criterion showed better microbial growth rates than Reynold´s number scale up criterion. However, high cellular damage due to turbulence in animal cell culturing are still challenges in large scale up bioreactor prototyping.