A vessel used for biological processing containing the growth of living cells or tissues, either as the product themselves or as biocatalysts in the production of other products. There are many designs of bioreactors. The most common are cylindrical and range in capacity from a few litres to many cubic metres. Small bioreactors are made of glass while large bioreactors are fabricated from stainless steel.
The biological processes contained within the bioreactor may be in the form of a suspension of cells or immobilized, and depending on the living organism, operated aerobically or anaerobically. The mode of operation is batch, fed batch, or continuous. An example of a continuously operated bioreactor is the chemostat.
Constant agitation within a bioreactor can be maintained with an appropriate stirrer which also aids oxygen transfer in aerobic processes. Low-speed impellers or the use of sparged air up draft tubes are typically used to aid mixing. Since all bioprocesses are exothermic, cooling is required using either an external jacket or, for very large vessels, internal cooling coils.