Fluidized Bed Reactor





In fluidized bed reactors, cells are "immobilized" in small particles which move with the fluid. The small particles create a large surface area for cells to stick to and enable a high rate of transfer of oxygen and nutrients to the cells.

The fluidized bed reactor is most suitable when a high viscosity substrate solution and a gaseous substrate or product are used in a continuous reaction system. The figure below illustrates a continuous fluidized bed reactor:

fluidized bed bioreactor


 

In this system, care must be taken to avoid the destruction and decomposition of immobilized enzymes. The particle size of immobilized enzymes is an important factor for the formation of a smooth fluidized bed.

Innovative BioSystems, Inc. invented a bioreactor. The reactors will be marketed as fluidized bed, fixed film bioreactors for aerobic and anaerobic degradation of organic compounds in soil and in water.

Sarra et. al. studied the continuous production of a hybrid antibiotic by a transformed strain of Streptomyces lividans TK21 in a three-phase fluidized bed. Cell aggregates, known as pellets, are used as immobilized cell particles in the bioreactor. Continuous production of the antibiotic can be maintained at satisfactory levels for periods of 60 days, and stable operation of the bioreactor is achieved during 85 days.

An anaerobic, granular-activated fluidized bed reactor is designed for treatment of propellant wastewater by The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Other source about fluidized bed bioreactor
 

Reference:

M. Sarrà, C. Casas, F. Gòdia, Continuous production of a hybrid antibiotic by Streptomyces lividans TK21 pellets in a three-phase fluidized-bed bioreactor, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 53(6): 601-610, 1997
 

Last modify: 05/01/2000, by Xuezhen Kang