Abstract In this paper, the effects of some empirical scale up criteria (Reynold's number and Impeller power per bioreactor volume) on gas-liquid mass transfer and microbial growth rates are analyzed using computational fluid dynamics simulations in a stirred tank bioreactor. The effects of turbulence, fluid flow and bubbles dynamics were simulated by using a two equation turbulence model, a multiple reference frame and a population balance, respectively. The impeller power per bioreactor volume scale up criterion showed better microbial growth rates than Reynold's number scale up criterion. However, high cellular damage due to turbulence in animal cell culturing are still challenges in large scale up bioreactor prototyping.