Development and Scale-Up of the Bioreactor System in Biorefinery: A Significant Step Toward a Green and Bio-Based Economy

Biorefinery is a versatile facility that integrates various biomass feedstocks, including agricultural residues, algae, forestry by-products, municipal solid waste, food waste, and industrial by-products. Leveraging renewable feedstocks for biorefineries to produce an array of valuable outputs, including biofuels, biochemicals, biosurfactants, bioplastics, antibiotics, and enzymes, presents an appealing strategy. This not only enhances the value of these residues but also meets the demands of an expanding bioeconomy market with renewable products. Through advanced technologies of scale up studies and the use of microorganisms, biorefineries extract valuable products, energy, and biochemicals from diverse feedstocks, significantly reducing waste and environmental impacts while decreasing reliance on fossil fuels. In this regard, the microorganisms commonly used in biorefineries include Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Escherichia coli, Streptomyces, Clostridium, Cyanobacteria, Pichia pastoris, Penicillium, and Zymomonas mobilis. Different bioreactor types, such as stirred-tank bioreactors for microbial fermentation and photobioreactors for photosynthetic microorganisms and membrane bioreactors (MBR), are common choices, prioritizing optimal mass transfer, minimal shear stress, and effective mixing. This chapter delves into the utilization of renewable feedstocks in bioreactors within biorefineries, emphasizing their role in the broader contexts of the bioeconomy and circular economy. It evaluates the prospects for generating value-added bioproducts from various residue sources while also examining the advantages and challenges associated with their integration.