Design of an ON/OFF mist duty cycle in mist bioreactors for the growth of hairy roots

Abstract

In this study, we designed a strategy for selecting the operating conditions of a mist reactor for the growth of hairy roots. This was accomplished by developing a mathematical model to optimize the ON/OFF mist duty cycle for the specified growth of hairy roots. The availability and rate of transport of nutrients to the roots are important parameters in the design and operation of the reactor. The thin liquid film over the root surface, which continuously builds up during the ON cycle, is a major factor that limits mass transfer. The same film also acts as a finite reservoir of nutrients in the absence of any replenishment during the OFF cycle. This reservoir gets depleted as growing roots continue to consume the nutrients. As a result of this depletion the duration of the OFF cycle must be limited such that the nutrient concentration does not go below the critical value required for the specified growth rate. The depleted reservoir is then replenished during the next ON cycle to an extent that depends on feed concentration and duration of the next ON cycle. It was shown that the use of increasing feed concentrations in the fed-batch mode of operation could maintain a specified growth rate in the reactor. Interestingly, this also resulted in the efficient operation of the reactor whereby the reactor operated at slightly above the required concentration and close to the point of minimum mass transfer resistance.