A PERCOLATION LAB-SCALE BIOREACTOR SYSTEM LB-1 FOR CULTIVATION OF MICROORGANISMS SENSITIVE TO MECHANICAL DAMAGES

Lab-scale bioreactors are convenient and efficient equipment for various biotechnological processes. The main purpose of their application is an in-depth study of the properties of processes occurring under controlled conditions, as well as their further optimization and scaling. In this paper, we propose the lab-scale bioreactor (1.5 L), in which mixing is carried out due to a bidirectional flow of liquid between two cylindrical vessels due to compressed gases (percolation). Saturation of liquid media here is performed both in a thin layer of liquid on the surface of vessels and solid carriers. The mass transfer characteristics made it possible to qualify LB-1 as a column film bioreactor, which can be used for cultivating both microorganisms sensitive to mechanical damage and immobilized washed cultures (biofilms). In addition, an immersion heat exchanger and a steam sterilizable X-shaped connector were developed, the features of which were revealed using numerical simulation of the temperature control process and computational fluid dynamics.