INSTITUTE : University Institute of Engineering

DEPARTMENT : Biotechnology Engineering

Subject Name : Bioreactor and Bioprocess Design

TOPIC: Stirrer Glands and Bearings DISCOVER . LEARN . EMPOWER

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www.cuchd.in Campus: Gharuan, Mohali
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 Introduction

The satisfactory sealing of the stirrer shaft assembly has been one of the
most difficult problems to overcome in the construction of fermentation
equipment which can be operated aseptically for long periods.
A number of different designs have been developed to obtain aseptic
seals. The stirrer shaft can enter the vessel from the top, bottom of the
vessel.

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 Top entry is most commonly used, but bottom entry may be
advantageous if more space is needed on the top plate for entry ports, and
the shorter shaft permits higher stirrer speeds to be used by eliminating
the problem of the shaft whipping at high speeds.
 Originally, bottom entry stirrers were considered undesirable as the
bearings would be submerged.

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Fig. A Simple Stirrer Seal.

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Mechanical seals can be used for bottom entry provided that they are routinely
maintained and replaced at recommended intervals.
One of the earliest stirrer seals described was that used by Rivett, Johnson, and
Peterson (1950) in a laboratory fermenter.
A porous bronze bearing for a 13-mm shaft was fitted in the center of the
fermenter top and another in a yoke directly above it.
The bearings were pressed into steel housings, which screwed into position in
the yoke and the fermenter top.

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 The lower bearing and housing were covered with a skirt-like shield having a
6.5 mm overhang
which rotated with the shaft and prevented airborne contaminants from
settling on the bearing and working their way through it into the fermenter.

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www.cuchd.in Campus: Gharuan, Mohali
  Four basic types of seal assembly have been used: the stuffing box
(packed-gland seal), the simple bush seal, the mechanical seal, and the
magnetic drive.
 Most modem fermenter stirrer mechanisms now incorporate mechanical
seals instead of stuffing boxes and packed glands.
 Mechanical seals are more expensive, but are more durable and less likely
to be an entry point for contaminants or a leakage point for organisms or
products which should be contained.
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 Magnetic drives, which are also quite expensive, have been used in
animal cell culture vessels.
Stuffing box (Packed-gland seal)
The shaft is sealed by several layers of packing rings of asbestos (in the
past) or cotton yarn, pressed against the shaft by a gland follower.
At high stirrer speeds the packing wears quickly and excessive pressure
may be needed to ensure tightness of fit.

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www.cuchd.in Campus: Gharuan, Mohali
Figure . Packed-Gland Stirrer Seal 10
Mechanical seal
The mechanical seal assembly is now commonly used in both small and
large fermenters.
The seal is composed of two parts, one part is stationary in the bearing
housing, the other rotates on the shaft, and the two components are
pressed together by springs or expanding bellows.
The two meeting surfaces have to be precision machined, the moving
surface normally consists of a carbon-faced unit while the stationary unit
is of stellite-faced stainless steel.
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Figure. Mechanical Seal Assembly
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Steam condensate can be used to lubricate the seals during operation and
serve as a containment barrier.
Single mechanical seals are used with a steam barrier in fermenters for
primary containment at lower levels.
whereas double mechanical seals are typically used in vessels with the
outer seal as a backup for the inner seal for primary containment at higher
levels.

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Magnetic drives

The problems of providing a satisfactory seal when the impeller shaft

passes through the top or bottom plate of the fermenter may be solved by the
use of a magnetic drive in which the impeller shaft does not pierce the
vessel.
A magnetic drive consists of two magnets: one driving and one driven.
The driving magnet is held in bearings in a housing on the outside of the
head plate and connected to a drive shaft.

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The internal driven magnet is placed on one end of the impeller shaft and
held in bearings in a suitable housing on the inner surface of the head plate.
 When multiple ceramic magnets have been used, it has been possible to
transmit power across a gap of 16 mm.
The stirring mechanism is ideal for animal cell culture to minimize the
chances of potential contamination.

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Figure . Diagram of Magnetically Coupled Top Stirrer Assembly (Applikon Dependable Instruments, Schiedam, Netherlands)
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 References

Introduction to Biochemical Engineering, D. G. Rao, Tata McGraw-Hill Education, USA.

Fermentation and Biochemical Engineering, Henry C. Vogel, Noyes Publications, NJ, USA.
Bioprocess Engineering : Systems, Equipment and Facilities, Bjorn K. Lydersen, Nancy A. D’Elia
and Kim L. Nelson, Wiley India Pvt. Limited, New Delhi.
Fermentation Microbiology and Biotechnology, E.M.T. El-Mansi, C.F.A. Bryce, A.L. Demain,
A.R. Allman. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, FL, USA.

UIBT, CU
www.cuchd.in Campus: Gharuan, Mohali