A model for oxygen supply in fixed bed reactors with immobilized hybridoma cells

Abstract

 In fixed bed reactors with animal cells immobilized in macroporous carriers sufficient oxygen supply is a critical parameter. For modelling of the oxygen consumption and the oxygen profile in a fixed bed oxygen gradients within the porous carriers and along the length of the fixed bed have to be considered. For the complex geometry of the fixed bed a model structure was assumed, that allows the calculation of the oxygen profile. The model for oxygen supply of the immobilized cells included the transport resistance from the bulk fluid into the carriers and diffusion within the carriers.

The model was compared with experimental data obtained with a hybridoma cell line for production of monoclonal antibodies. Model calculations and experimental data agree rather well. The mean volume-specific oxygen uptake rate as an indicator for the cell activity increased with the superficial flow velocity of the bulk liquid flow, and did not depend on the length of the fixed bed in the range tested. This indicates, that the convective transport from the bulk liquid flow between the carriers to the outer surface of the carriers is a dominating transport resistance besides the diffusive oxygen supply within the carriers.