Scaling bioreactor hydrodynamics from 3 L to 12,500 L

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma, the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, and the Hamburg University of Technology use M-Star to perform Lattice-Boltzmann large-eddy simulations of hydrodynamic stress, mixing, and flow behavior across bioreactors ranging from 3 L laboratory scale to a 12,500 L industrial production scale. Experimental measurements from shear-sensitive micro-probes were used to validate the CFD scale-up study, providing direct comparison between simulated and measured hydrodynamic stresses. The study demonstrates the application of M-Star to bioreactor scale-up and the assessment of shear environments relevant to mammalian cell culture.