What are the best practices for maintaining a bioreactor?

1 Choose the right type of bioreactor

There are different types of bioreactors, such as stirred-tank, airlift, bubble column, packed-bed, fluidized-bed, and membrane, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Depending on your application, you should choose the one that suits your needs and objectives. For example, if you are growing mammalian cells, you may prefer a stirred-tank bioreactor with low shear stress and high oxygen transfer. If you are producing biofuels, you may opt for a bubble column bioreactor with high gas-liquid mass transfer and low energy consumption.

2 Follow the standard operating procedures

Every bioreactor has its own standard operating procedures (SOPs) that specify the steps and parameters for setting up, operating, cleaning, and troubleshooting the system. You should follow the SOPs strictly and consistently to avoid errors and deviations that may compromise the performance and reliability of your bioreactor. You should also document and record every action and observation during the process for traceability and quality control purposes.

3 Monitor and adjust the process variables

The process variables are the physical and chemical conditions that affect the growth and metabolism of your bioreactor culture. They include temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), agitation speed, aeration rate, nutrient concentration, and waste concentration. You should monitor these variables regularly and adjust them as needed to maintain the optimal range for your culture. You can use sensors, probes, controllers, and feedback loops to automate the measurement and regulation of the process variables.

5 Perform regular inspections and maintenance

To ensure the functionality and durability of your bioreactor, you should perform regular inspections and maintenance of the components and parts of the system. You should check for any signs of wear, damage, leakage, corrosion, or malfunctioning and replace or repair them as soon as possible. You should also calibrate and validate the instruments and devices that measure and control the process variables to ensure their accuracy and precision. You should follow the manufacturer's recommendations and guidelines for the inspection and maintenance schedule and frequency.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?