AirLift (AL) BioReactor Systems

AirLift (or GasLift) bioreactors are an alternative to mechanically agitated systems that reduce shear stress and heat generation by eliminating the mechanical agitator; and are commonly used in shear sensitive cultures such as animal and plant cells. Airlift systems are similar to bubble column reactors where oxygen transfer, internal circulation, and mixing are achieved by bubbling air. They differ however in that air lift bioreactors contain an inner draft tube that creates the drafting force required for liquid circulation and possible improvement of bulk mixing. Utilization of an airlift system may also demonstrate cost savings in the elimination of a mechanical agitator and from the reduction of extra cooling requirements. The oxygen transfer efficiency of AL (AirLift) systems, however, generally may not be as high as that of a MA system without special design of the nozzle. However, due to the reduced shear stress, AL is often used for shear sensitive cultures such as animal cells or plant cells etc.

Our AL bioreactor systems are primarily based on customer's requirements and related demand in today's market. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) and gas hold up depend very much on the physical properties of the system, along with air & operating conditions. The below articles are insightful references for the characteristics and physical properties (fluid dynamics, mass transfer, heat transfer and scale up) of AirLift systems and their applications.

Our AirLift bioreactor systems are made-to-order and will be customized to best fit your application.

The AirLift bioreactor system is also extended as a Moving Bed Bioreactor.

** Those are standard dimensions. Custom design with various dimensions is available at no extra cost.

Reference Articles and Publications

Publications Using AL-100/200 Bioreactors

1. Application of airlift bioreactor for the cultivation of aerobic oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula glutinis with different aeration rates. Hong-Wei Yen and Yi Xian Liu; Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering VOL. 118 No. 2, 2014

2. Cultivation of oleaginous Rhodotorula mucilaginosa in airlift bioreactor by using seawater. Hong-Wei Yen, Yu-Ting Liao, and Yi Xian Liu, Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering VOL. 118 No. 2, 2014.

3. The effects of feeding criteria on the growth of oleaginous yeast - Rhodotorula glutinisina in a pilot-scale airlift bioreactor. Hong-WeiYena, YiXianLiua, Jo-ShuChang. Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 49 (2015) ​

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Fundamentals of Airlift Bioreactors

1. Bioreactors, Air_Lift Reactors (Authors: J.C. MERCHUK & M. GLUZ; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Beer-Sheva, Israel)

2. Hydraulic Model of a Gas-Lift Bioreactor with Flocculating Yeast (Authors: E. Roca, C. Ghommidh, J. M. Navarro, J. M. Lema; Bioprocess Engineering 12 [1995]

3. Influence of draft tube diameter on operation behaviour of airlift loop reactors. Weiland, P. (1984)

4. Airlift Bioreactors: Review of Recent Advances (Authors: J.C. MERCHUK, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Beer-Sheva, Israel)

5. Why use Airlift Bioreactor? (Trends in Biotechnology Volume 8, 1990, Pages 66-71)

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Applications of Airlift Bioreactors

1. Continuous ethanol production by a flocculating strain of Kluyveromyces marxiamis: Bioreactor performance. Bioprocess Eng. 5 (1990)

2. An airlift column bioreactor suitable for large-scale cultivation of plant cell suspensions. Smart, N.J.; Fowler, M.W. (1984)

3. Comparisons between cellulase production by Aspergillus fumigatus in agitated vessels and in an air-left fermentor. Wase, J.D.A.; McManamey, W.J.; Raymahasay, S.; Vaid, A.K. (1985)

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