What is the Difference Between Bioreactor and Fermentor?

The main difference between a bioreactor and a fermentor lies in the types of biochemical reactions they facilitate and the products they produce. Here are the key differences between the two:

• Bioreactor: A bioreactor is a vessel that facilitates various types of biochemical reactions, including aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Bioreactors are used in the production of pharmaceutical products, vaccines, antibodies, and other biological compounds. They can use mammalian or insect cell populations and can be designed as packed bed, fluidized bed, IVFR, or Airlift bioreactors.
• Fermentor: A fermentor is a specific type of bioreactor designed for fermentation reactions that occur under anaerobic conditions. Fermentors are used in the production of ethanol, lactic acid, and other products derived from fermentation processes. They typically use fungal or bacterial microorganisms and can be batch, fed-batch, or continuous in design.

In summary, both bioreactors and fermentors are closed systems that carry out biochemical reactions, but bioreactors can handle various types of reactions, while fermentors are specifically designed for fermentation reactions.

Comparative Table: Bioreactor vs Fermentor

Bioreactors and fermentors are both closed systems used for biochemical reactions, but they have some differences in terms of the type of reactions they facilitate and the organisms they work with. Here is a table summarizing the differences between bioreactors and fermentors:

Key points:

• Bioreactors can facilitate various types of biochemical reactions, while fermentors are specifically designed for fermentation reactions under anaerobic conditions.
• Bioreactors can work with mammalian or insect cell populations, whereas fermentors typically work with fungal or bacterial cell populations.
• Bioreactors can use various types of substrates, while fermentors are limited to glucose or glucose-containing substrates.