Bioengineering Parameters for Single-Use Bioreactors: Overview and Evaluation of Suitable Methods

• Published in: Chemie ingenieur technik 2013-02, Vol.85 (1-2), p.40-56
• Main Authors: Löffelholz, Christian, Husemann, Ute, Greller, Gerhard, Meusel, Wolfram, Kauling, Jörg, Ay, Peter, Kraume, Matthias, Eibl, Regine, Eibl, Dieter
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biochemical engineering; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Computational fluid dynamics; Cultivation; Customers; Engineering characterization; Mathematical models; Mixing time; Particle stress; Power consumption; Power input; Reusable; Single-use bioreactor; Volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient
• ISSN: 0009-286X; 1522-2640
• DOI: 10.1002/cite.201200125

During the past five years, the number of single‐use bioreactors used in biopharmaceutical research and production has increased tremendously. This increase has been particularly associated with mammalian cell culture processes from small‐ to medium‐scale volumes. Even though nowadays customers can choose from a multitude of 2nd and 3rd generation single‐use bioreactors, ranging from mL‐ up to m3‐scale, there is a lack of knowledge of their engineering parameters. Different approaches have been applied to characterization investigations, resulting in an inability to compare different single‐use bioreactors with each other and their reusable counterparts, creating an obstacle to a systematic approach to scaling‐up the process. This article describes parametric, experimental and computer‐based numeric methods for biochemical engineering characterization of single‐use bioreactors, which have already been used successfully for the characterization of their reusable counterparts. For the first time, these methods have been evaluated in terms of their practical application. Well‐known methods used for the characterization of conventional bioreactors are discussed and modified in order to characterize single‐use bioreactors. If power consumption, the cultivation vessel's shape, its configuration and its scale are considered, a recommendation for preferred characterization methods for single‐use bioreactors can finally be made.