Mixing Uniformity Characterization of 15K Mammalian Cell Culture Bioreactor

The mass transfer uniformity of a 15,000 liter mammalian cell culture bioreactor with modified pitched blade impellers was demonstrated by empirical methods and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. The gas dispersion, mass transfer and blending performance of the 15,000 L bioreactor were characterized empirically. Two empirical methods were used to evaluate the bioreactor blend times under different agitation speeds. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed using ANSYS Fluent. The CFD model was verified by empirical blend time results. The flow pattern and mass distribution in the 15,000 liter bioreactor over a range of impeller operating speeds were characterized with CFD modeling. The results from empirical blend studies and CFD modeling indicated top/bottom blend time uniformity. Also, zonal uniformity of oxygen transfer was demonstrated by gas dispersion and mass transfer characterization studies. The study results and lessons learned will be discussed.