Mass transport and shear stress in a microchannel bioreactor: numerical simulation and dynamic similarity.

Microchannel bioreactors have been used in many studies to manipulate and investigate the fluid microenvironment around cells. In this study, substrate concentrations and shear stresses at the base were computed from a three-dimensional numerical flow-model incorporating mass transport. Combined dimensionless parameters were developed from a simplified analysis. The numerical results of substrate concentration were well correlated by the combined parameters. The generalized results may find applications in design analysis of microchannel bioreactors. The mass transport and shear stress were related in a generalized result. Based on the generalized results and the condition of dynamic similarity, various means to isolate their respective effects on cells were considered.