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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Operation of a Benchtop Bioreactor

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Published on: September 12, 2013

Orbitally shaken single-use bioreactors.

Wolf Klöckner¹, Sylvia Diederichs, Jochen Büchs

¹AVT-Biochemical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 1, Aachen, 52074, Germany, wolf.kloeckner@avt.rwth-aachen.de.

Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology

|April 23, 2013

Summary

Orbitally shaken single-use reactors offer cost-effective upstream processing with predictable liquid dynamics and simple scale-up. However, their application is limited to low-oxygen-demand cell cultures, necessitating further performance analysis.

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Area of Science:

Biotechnology
Bioprocess Engineering
Upstream Processing

Background:

Single-use bioreactors are increasingly adopted in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
Orbitally shaken reactors offer advantages in simplicity, cost-efficiency, and predictable hydrodynamics.
Successful scale-up to the cubic meter scale has been demonstrated.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide an overview of the opportunities and limitations of orbitally shaken single-use reactors.
To highlight the suitability of these systems for specific bioprocessing applications.
To emphasize the need for detailed performance data across different scales.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature and case studies on shaken single-use reactor technology.
Analysis of design principles and operational characteristics.
Evaluation of scale-up principles and performance data.

Main Results:

Shaken single-use reactors are inherently simple, cost-efficient, and feature predictable liquid distribution.
Scale-up is straightforward and has been validated up to large volumes.
These systems are primarily suitable for cell cultures with low oxygen requirements.

Conclusions:

Orbitally shaken single-use reactors present significant advantages for specific upstream bioprocessing applications.
Understanding their performance limitations, particularly regarding oxygen transfer, is crucial for optimal utilization.
Further research into performance optimization for diverse cell culture needs is warranted.