Enhanced Oxygen Transfer in Single-Use Fermentors Revolutionizes High-Density Cultures

In bioprocessing, the ability to cultivate fast-growing, high oxygen-demanding bacterial and yeast cultures to higher densities has long been a challenge. Traditional stainless-steel fermentors have set the benchmark for performance. However, the advent of the Thermo Scientific HyPerforma Enhanced Single-Use Fermentors (eS.U.F.s) offers a significant leap forward compared to its original design. This study explores a practical application and notable results achieved using the 30 L and 300 L eS.U.F.s.

Overcoming oxygen delivery challenges

The oxygen transfer rate (OTR) is a critical parameter in fermentation processes, especially for aerobic cultures. Meeting the high respiration demands of cultures progressing from low optical densities to high densities within a short period requires efficient oxygen delivery. The original Single-Use Fermentors (S.U.F.s) had limitations in oxygen delivery, prompting the development of the enhanced version, eS.U.F., which shows improved mixing and oxygen transfer capabilities.

Conducting a comparison study

The evaluation involved cultivating two different strains of E. coli (BL21(DE3) and DH5α) in both the original and enhanced S.U.F.s. The cultures were grown in Gibco Bacto CD Supreme Fermentation Production Medium and monitored using the Thermo Scientific Prima BT Bench Top Process Mass Spectrometer to measure gas concentrations and calculate OTR.

Results

Increased oxygen transfer rate: The eS.U.F. achieved an OTR of 900 mmol/L/hr, significantly higher than the 700 mmol/L/hr of the original S.U.F. design
Higher cell density: E. coli BL21(DE3) cultures reached 250 g/L wet cell weight (WCW) by 20 hours in the eS.U.F., outperforming the original S.U.F. design
Reduced oxygen consumption: The eS.U.F. used approximately 1/6 of the oxygen required by the original S.U.F., leading to substantial cost savings
Economic benefits: The improved efficiency translated into a reduction of oxygen supplementation costs by up to 76%

Conclusion

The Thermo Scientific HyPerforma Enhanced Single-Use Fermentor has demonstrated advanced performance in high-density, high oxygen-demanding cultures. The advancements in oxygen transfer and reduced supplementation costs make the eS.U.F. a valuable asset for your bioprocessing workflow, offering a viable alternative to traditional stainless-steel fermentors. With its enhanced capabilities, the eS.U.F. facilitates efficient and cost-effective microbial fermentation processes.

Read the full application note: High-performance single-use fermentor with enhanced oxygen transfer

For more information, visit https://www.thermofisher.com/suf