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Updated: Dec 17, 2025
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Power Input Measurements in Stirred Bioreactors at Laboratory Scale
Published on: May 16, 2018
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[Numerical simulation and optimization of impeller combination used in stirred bioreactor]
1State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
Summary
The study found that impeller choice in stirred bioreactors significantly impacts Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell growth and antibody production. Optimizing impeller design, specifically minimizing maximum shear rate, is crucial for successful large-scale biomanufacturing.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology and Bioprocessing
- Cell Culture Engineering
- Mammalian Cell Bioreactor Design
Background:
- Stirred bioreactors are essential for manufacturing monoclonal antibodies and vaccines using mammalian cell suspension cultures.
- Understanding fluid dynamics and shear stress is critical for optimizing cell growth and product yield in large-scale bioreactors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To numerically simulate and experimentally evaluate five impeller combinations in a stirred bioreactor for Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell cultivation.
- To elucidate the relationship between bioreactor hydrodynamics, shear rate, and cell growth/antibody production.
- To identify optimal impeller configurations for large-scale biomanufacturing.
Main Methods:
- Numerical simulations were performed to analyze velocity vectors, gas hold-up, and shear rate distributions for five impeller combinations.
- Fed-batch cultures of genetically engineered CHO cells were conducted in a bioreactor equipped with the five different impeller configurations.
- Cell growth (viable cell density) and antibody levels were monitored throughout the cultivation.
Main Results:
- Cell growth and antibody production were directly correlated with the maximum shear rate within the bioreactor.
- The FBMI3 impeller combination resulted in the highest viable cell density and peak antibody levels.
- CHO cells demonstrated sensitivity to shear forces generated by impeller movement during large-scale cultivation.
Conclusions:
- Impeller selection is a critical factor in optimizing bioreactor performance for mammalian cell culture.
- Minimizing maximum shear rate is key for enhancing cell viability and productivity in large-scale bioreactors.
- The findings provide valuable insights for the scale-up and industrial manufacturing of biologics.
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