Abstract
Three dimensional particle tracking velocimetry (3-D PTV) was used to characterize the flow fields in the impeller region of three microcarrier reactor vessels. Three typical cell culture bioreactors were chosen: 250 ml small-scale spinner vessels, 3 L bench-scale reactor, and 20 L medium-scale reactor. Conditions studied correspond to the actual operating conditions in industrial setting and were determined based on the current scale-up paradigm: the Kolmogorov eddy length criterion. In this paper we present characterization of hydrodynamics on the basis of flow structures produced because of agitation. Flow structures were determined from 3-D mean velocity results obtained using 3-D PTV. Although the impellers used in 3 L and 20 L reactors were almost identical, the flow structures produced in the two reactors differed considerably. Results indicate that near geometric scale up does not necessarily amount to scale-up of flow patterns and indicates that intensity as well as distribution of energy may vary considerably during such a scale-up.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adrian RJ (1991). Particle imaging techniques for experimental fluid mechanics. Ann. Rev. Fluid Mech. 185: 261–304.
Aunins JG, Woodson Jr. BA, Hale TK and Wang DIC (1989). Effect of paddle impeller geometry on power input and mass transfer in small scale animal cell culture vessel. Biotechnol Bioeng 34: 1127–1132.
Aunins JG, Glazomitsky K and Buckland BS (1993). Cell culture reactor design: known and unknown, pp. 175–190. In: Nienow AW (ed.), 3rd International Conference on Bioreactor and Bioprocess Fluid Dynamics, BHR Group Conference Series, Publication No. 5, MEP, London.
Cherry RS and Papoutsakis ET (1986). Hydrodynamic effects in cells in agitated tissue culture reactors. Bioproc Eng. 1: 29–41.
Cherry RS and Papoutsakis ET (1990). Understanding and controlling fluid mechanical injury of animal cells in bioreactors. Animal Cell Biotechnology 4: 71–121.
Croughan MS, Hamel JF and Wang DIC (1987) Hydrodynamic effects on animal cells grown in microcarrier culture. Biotechnol Bioeng 29: 130–141.
Guezennec YG, Brodkey RS, Trigui N and Kent JC (1994). Algorithms for fully automated three-dimensional particle tracking velocimetry. Exp. Fluids 17: 209–219.
Oldshue JY (1983). Fluid Mixing Technology. McGraw-Hill, New York. p. 89.
Papoutsakis ET (1991). Fluid-mechanical damage of animal cells in bioreactors. Trends Biotech. 9: 427–437.
Smith GW, Tavlarides LL and Placek J (1990). Turbulent flow in stirred tanks: Scale-up computations for vessel hydrodynamics. Chem. Eng. Comm. 93: 49–81.
Stoots CM and Calabrese RV (1995). Mean velocity relative to a Rushton turbine blade. AIChE J. 41: 1–11.
Tennekes H and Lumley JL (1972). First course in turbulence. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.
Venkat RV, Brodkey RS, Guezennec YG and Chalmers JJ (1993). Experimental determination of local hydrodynamic information in microcarrier culture spinner vessels, pp. 483–501. In: Nienow AW (ed.), 3rd International Conference on Bioreactor and Bioprocess Fluid Dynamics, BHR Group Conference Series, Publication No. 5, MEP, London.
Venkat RV (1995). Study of hydrodynamics due to turbulent mixing in animal cell microcarrier bioreactors. Doctoral dissertation, Department of Chemical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
Venkat RV, Stock RL and Chalmers JJ (1996). Study of hydrodynamics in microcarrier culture spinner vessels—a particle tracking velocimetry approach. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 49: 456–466.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Venkat, R.V., Chalmers, J.J. Characterization of agitation environments in 250 ml spinner vessel, 3 L, and 20 L reactor vessels used for animal cell microcarrier culture. Cytotechnology 22, 95–102 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00353928
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00353928