The Advantages and Disadvantages of Airlift Bioreactor

The Advantages of Airlift Bioreactor:
1. Simple design with no moving parts or agitator for less maintenance, less risk of defects.
2. Easier sterilization (no agitator shaft parts)
3. Low Energy requirement vs stirred tank
Obviously doesn’t need the energy for the moving parts (agitator shaft).
4. Greater heat-removal vs stirred tank
At the Airlift bioreactor it doesn’t need the heat plate to control the temperature, because the Draught-Tube which is inside the bioreactor can be designed to serve as internal heat exchanger. It is difference to the Stirred tank bioreactor that needs the heat coat or plate surrounding the tank to make warm bioreactor. It is clear enough that the Airlift bioreactor has greater heat-removal compare to Stirred tank.
The Disadvantages of Airlift Bioreactor:
1. Greater air throughput and higher pressures needed
The agitation on the Airlift bioreactor is controlled by the supply air. To adjust the supply air then the higher pressure needed. And if the higher pressure of air needed then more energy consumption needed. And more cost must pay.
2. Inefficient break the foam when foaming occurs
Because there is no blades/shaft as a foam breaker compare with the stirred tank that has it at the surface.
3. NO bubbles breaker
There are no blades that used as a breaker the bubbles which produced from the air supply (sparger)