Single‐use bioreactors : an overview

This chapter aims to give an overview of instrumented single‐use bioreactor (SUB) types that are currently available commercially. Based on the milestones in the development of SUBs, it focuses on the three most often applied types: wave‐mixed, stirred, and orbitally shaken versions. Their typical working principles are explained, possible fields of application are deduced, and trends in their selection are summarized. The development of SUBs can be described in three phases: the early beginnings; the establishment of disposable membrane bioreactors, multitray cell culture systems, and the first bag bioreactors; and the expansion of wave‐mixed, stirred, orbitally shaken, and further SUBs. The most suitable bioreactor for a desired application depends on several factors. The selection of the bioreactor is significantly influenced by the cultivation task, the engineering parameters of the bioreactor, the scale, the production organism, the legal requirements, the infrastructure, the know‐how of staff, and the costs for investment and operation