Biotherapeutics and Bioanalytical Techniques

Gloriosa superba is a commercial source of the pharmaceutical colchicine. Colchicine is one of the primary sources of

treatment for gout. Th e balloon type bubble reactor (BTBR) has been successfully used to biomanufacture bioactive small

molecules. Colchicine production can be improved by understanding the fl uid mechanics inside this reactor, which primarily

depends on several parameters such as reactor working volumes, diameter of the sparger, fl ow rate, viscosity, surface tension,

density of the fl uids, and nutrient volume fractions. Our initial bioimaging study suggests that in 4L BTBR at low air injection

rate the fl ow ascends up a fairly straight vertical path, concentrating mostly toward the center of the reactor. However, at

higher injection rates, a more chaotic fl ow forms. Th e post processed images reveal that the fl ow patterns inside the reactor

vary, as positive and negative vorticity zones. We will present the clockwise/counter-clockwise directions of the dimensionless

mapping of fl uid dynamics data. Th is analysis will not only address the geometric patterns of mixing, but will also apply to the

nature of liquids, solutions, and injection gases with various combinations of density, viscosity, and surface tension that will

eventually improve the colchicine biomanufacturing design process.