Essay Example on Disposable Reactor Technology

Disposable or single-use reactors have recently become the possible replacement for the conventional stainless-steel bioreactors. The disposable reactor technology is widely common in biopharmaceutical production (Shukla et al., 2013). The technology, as compared to the traditional stainless steel bioreactor, is both effective and cost friendly. The modular nature, which enables the use of the existing facilities with minimal modification to the current infrastructure, make it a feasible upgrade from the traditional reactors (Jessica et al., 2014). The single-use reactor has many advantages that help to make the production process more flexible and less costly.

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There are three types of commercially available bioreactors: wave-mixed, orbitally shaken, and stirred disposable bioreactors. They are classified depending on the method of mixing and transferring oxygen. The wave-mixed bioreactor use waves to transfer oxygen and mix the contents of the bioreactors. In stirred bioreactors, axial flow impellers and aeration spargers and ports for the integration of sensors probes are pre-installed to facilitate mixing and aeration (Eibl, 2010). Orbitally shaken reactors employ orbit motion to circulate oxygen and mix the contents of a bioreactor.

A disposable reactor technology offers increased flexibility with lower investment and energy cost. The acquisition of a single-use reactor and its installation is normally much lower compared the traditional stainless-steel bioreactor system (Marjanovic et al, 2007; Busse et al., 2017). It is approximated that a disposable reactor system can reduce up to 40% compared to the traditional reactors (Shukla et al., 2013). In addition, disposable reactor technology cuts down on maintenance fee that can come in the form of cleaning, sterilization, and validation among others (Galliher, 2007; Jessica et al., 2014). The cost benefits of the project come in in the form of reduced time for setting and running a business, reduced cost of equipment, and better manufacturing quality among others. Apart from the monetary benefits of a disposable reactor, the system promotes a more rapid turnaround between products due to the reduced cleaning and verification time.

In summary, numerous factors have played a part in the development of the disposable reactor technology. The system has improved manufacturing quality at a relatively lower price compared to the traditional stainless steel reactor. Although the procedure may have some disadvantages, the cost benefits are greater. The flexibility and lower investments are some of the factors that make it more preferable to the conventional bank.

References

da Luz, J. A., Hans, E., & Zeng, A. P. (2014). Automated fast filtration and onfilter quenching improve the intracellular metabolite analysis of microorganisms. Engineering in Life Sciences, 14(2), 135-142.

Eibl, R., Kaiser, S., Lombriser, R., & Eibl, D. (2010). Disposable bioreactors: the current state-of-the-art and recommended applications in biotechnology. Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 86(1), 41-49.

Galliher, P. M. (2007). Review of Single-Use Technologies in Biomanufacturing.

Jessica, M. S. P. W. P., & Cruz, M. C. R. (2014). single-Use Bioreactors for the rapid Production of Preclinical and clinical Biopharmaceuticals. BioPharm International, 27(10).

Marjanovic, D., & Greller, G. (2007). Disposable bioreactors based on wave agitation technology. Biopharm international, 20(MAI).

Shukla, A. A., & Gottschalk, U. (2013). Single-use disposable technologies for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Trends in biotechnology, 31(3), 147-154.