Single-use bioreactors are usually applied in the biopharmaceutical industry, mostly for mammalian cell culture processes. For microbial processes, concepts like the CELL-tainer® technology allow comparable gas-liquid mass transfer rates like in stirred tank reactors.
In this reactor concept, the rocking motion of the bag is generated with a combination of a vertical and horizontal movement. Volumetric oxygen transfer rates (kLa) of over 400 h-1 were determined with this reactor concept.
Cultivation of volumes from 150 mL to 150 L is possible, the suitability to achieve high cell densities for microbial applications have been proven in this type of rocking-motion bioreactor.
Current research also focus on the application for shear-sensitive microbes, including filamentous organisms.