title: Topology optimized microbioreactors.
abstract: This article presents the fusion of two hitherto unrelated fields--microbioreactors and topology optimization. The basis for this study is a rectangular microbioreactor with homogeneously distributed immobilized brewers yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) that produce a recombinant protein. Topology optimization is then used to change the spatial distribution of cells in the reactor in order to optimize for maximal product flow out of the reactor. This distribution accounts for potentially negative effects of, for example, by-product inhibition. We show that the theoretical improvement in productivity is at least fivefold compared with the homogeneous reactor. The improvements obtained by applying topology optimization are largest where either nutrition is scarce or inhibition effects are pronounced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 229, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark. daniel.schaepper@schappi.dk
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schäpper
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lencastre Fernandes
authors.forename: Anna Eliasson
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Lantz
authors.forename: Fridolin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Okkels
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bruus
authors.forename: Krist V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Gernaey
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D018914:Cells, Immobilized / Q000378:metabolism; D007218:Industrial Microbiology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins