Review of computational fluid dynamics applications in biotechnology processes

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Process Engineering

Background:

• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a powerful simulation tool for fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer, and chemical reactions.
• Biotechnology unit operations are complex, benefiting significantly from advanced modeling techniques.
• Quality by Design initiatives drive the need for deeper process understanding, reducing experimental efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the applications of CFD in major biotechnology processing unit operations.
• To highlight the increasing interest and advancements in CFD for biotechnology over the past decade.
• To emphasize CFD's role in guiding efficient and effective experimentation.

Main Methods:

• Review of scientific literature focusing on CFD applications in biotechnology from the last 10 years.
• Analysis of CFD implementation in unit operations such as fermentation, centrifugation, chromatography, ultrafiltration, microfiltration, and freeze-drying.
• Synthesis of findings to identify trends and future directions.

Main Results:

• CFD has been increasingly applied to complex biotechnology unit operations.
• Specific examples of CFD use in fermentation, separation, and purification processes were examined.
• The review demonstrates CFD's growing importance in providing process insights.

Conclusions:

• CFD is becoming an indispensable tool for understanding and optimizing biotechnology processes.
• Future applications will likely focus on leveraging CFD for predictive modeling and experimental design.
• Continued development in CFD will further enhance its utility in bioprocessing.