Illustrate the design of a bioreactor. Highlight the difference between a flask in your laboratory and a bioreactor which allows cells to grow in a continous culture system.

Explanation

Bioreactors are vessels of large volumes (100-1000L) in which raw materials are biological converted into specific products.
The most commonly used bioreactors are of stirring type, which are shown in figure.

A stirred tank reactor is usually cylindrical of with a curved base to facilate the mixing of the reactor contents. the stirrer facilitates even mixing an d ox ygen availability throughout the bioreactor. Alternatively air can be bubbled through the reactor.
If you look at the figure closely you will see that the bioreactor has an agitator system, an oxygen delivery system and a control systema temperature control system. pH control system and sampling ports so, that small volumes of the culture can be withdrawn periodically.
Small volume culutures are usually employed in laboratories in a flask for research and production of less quantities of produc ts? However, large scale production of the products is ca rried out in bioreactors.