Bioreactor

Abstract

The utility model relates to a bioreactor which comprises a tank body and a sieve piece assembly, a plurality of supporting blocks are arranged on the inner wall of the tank body; the screen piece assembly is arranged in the tank body and comprises an upper screen piece, a lower screen piece and a supporting inner cylinder, the upper screen piece and the lower screen piece are arranged at the two ends of the supporting inner cylinder in a sleeving mode respectively, the lower screen piece is fixedly connected with the supporting inner cylinder and is in lap joint with the supporting block, and the upper screen piece is movably connected with the supporting inner cylinder and is in lap joint with an annular protrusion arranged on the supporting inner cylinder. And sealing rings are arranged between the two screening pieces and the inner wall of the tank body. The supporting blocks for bearing the sieve sheet structure are arranged on the inner wall of the tank body, so that a mounting space is reserved for the stirring device at the bottom of the tank body, the obstruction of an internal connecting structure to stirring is reduced, the stirring effect can be effectively improved, and the reaction is more efficient and uniform; meanwhile, due to the unique screen piece assembly structure, the upper screen piece can be conveniently detached, the screen pieces can be conveniently cleaned and maintained by operators, the shutdown period can be shortened, and the cost can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of bioengineering, in particular to a bioreactor. Background Art

[0002] Bioreactors play a key role in cell culture, ensuring a suitable growth environment for cells by providing a growth container and precisely controlled culture conditions (such as temperature, gas supply, and pH). Fixed-bed bioreactors are widely used in the production of recombinant protein drugs and monoclonal antibodies in biopharmaceuticals, and are also used for large-scale cell culture in cell therapy. Fixed-bed bioreactors are particularly well-suited for the cultivation of adherent cells, offering advantages such as continuous operation, minimal backmixing, strong material controllability, high conversion efficiency, and a wide range of selectivity.

[0003] The tank of a traditional fixed-bed bioreactor is usually equipped with a support tube for fixing the sieve. The support tube not only increases the complexity of the entire bioreactor structure, but also affects the uniformity of material flow and reaction efficiency in the reactor. At the same time, the existing sieve structure is not easy to disassemble and assemble after installation in the reactor. It is difficult to clean and maintain the sieve during the reaction process, and the maintenance cost is high and time-consuming. Utility Model Content

[0004] To this end, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the problem that in the prior art, a support tube for fixing the sieve plate is usually provided in the tank body of the fixed-bed bioreactor, which not only increases the complexity of the entire bioreactor structure, but also affects the uniformity of material flow and reaction efficiency in the reactor; at the same time, the existing sieve plate structure is not easy to disassemble and assemble after being installed in the reactor, and it is difficult to clean and maintain the sieve plate during the reaction process, with high maintenance costs and a long time consumption.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the utility model provides a bioreactor, comprising:

[0006] A tank body, wherein the inner wall of the tank body is provided with a plurality of support blocks arranged in a circular array around the circumference thereof;

[0007] The screen assembly is arranged in the tank body, and the screen assembly includes an upper screen, a lower screen and a supporting inner cylinder. The upper screen and the lower screen are both annular structures. The upper screen and the lower screen are respectively sleeved on the two ends of the supporting inner cylinder, and the lower screen is fixedly connected to the supporting inner cylinder and overlapped on the supporting block. The upper screen is movably connected to the supporting inner cylinder and overlapped on the annular protrusion provided on the circumferential surface of the supporting inner cylinder. At the same time, sealing rings are provided between the upper and lower screens and the inner wall of the tank body.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, annular grooves are provided on the circumferential surfaces of the upper screen plate and the lower screen plate, and the sealing rings are provided in the annular grooves.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the upper screen plate and the lower screen plate both include an annular plate and an annular ring, the annular plate is provided with a plurality of through holes arranged in an array, the annular ring is coaxially connected to the circumferential surface of the annular plate, and the annular groove is coaxially provided on the side surface of the annular ring.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, a stirring device is included, which includes a stirring blade and a stirring drive source. The stirring blade is rotatably arranged at the bottom of the tank body, and the stirring blade is connected to the output end of the stirring drive source.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the tank body is a cylindrical tank body with an open end, and a tank cover is movably provided at the open end of the tank body. The tank cover is connected to a tank cover driving source for driving the tank cover to open or close.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, a pH electrode and a DO electrode are further included for monitoring the pH value and dissolved oxygen in the tank body, respectively, and the pH electrode and the DO electrode are both arranged at the bottom of the tank body.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, a cap is further included. The cap includes a cylindrical main body portion, one end of the main body portion is provided with a circular groove, and the other end is connected to a pull ring.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the tank body is further connected to a liquid adding pipe extending into the interior of the tank body.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, a handle is provided on the upper screen.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, three support blocks are provided and are evenly spaced around the circumference of the tank body.

[0017] The above technical solution of the utility model has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0018] The bioreactor described in the utility model includes a tank body and a screen assembly, and a plurality of support blocks are provided on the inner wall of the tank body; the screen assembly is arranged in the tank body, and includes an upper screen, a lower screen and a supporting inner cylinder, the upper screen and the lower screen are respectively sleeved on the two ends of the supporting inner cylinder, the lower screen is fixedly connected to the supporting inner cylinder and overlapped on the support blocks, the upper screen is movably connected to the supporting inner cylinder and overlapped on the annular protrusion provided on the supporting inner cylinder, and sealing rings are provided between the two screens and the inner wall of the tank body. A bioreactor of the present invention abandons the traditional screen fixing method and provides a support block for carrying the screen structure on the inner wall of the tank body, thereby leaving a suitable installation space for the stirring device at the bottom of the tank body, which is conducive to the stirring device providing a stirring output with a larger torque during stirring, and reduces the obstruction of the internal connection structure to stirring, can effectively improve the stirring effect of the stirring device, and thus make the reaction more efficient and uniform; at the same time, the bioreactor is designed with a unique screen assembly structure. After the screen assembly is installed in the tank body, the upper screen can be easily disassembled, which is convenient for operators to clean and maintain the screen, thereby shortening the downtime period and enhancing the continuous operation capability of the device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to make the content of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below based on the specific embodiments of the present invention and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein

[0020] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional diagram of a bioreactor according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the bioreactor according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the bioreactor according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of a screen assembly of a bioreactor in a preferred embodiment of the present utility model;

[0024] Figure 5 It is an exploded view of the screen assembly of the bioreactor according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Explanation of the accompanying drawings in the specification: 1. Tank body; 11. Support block; 2. Screen assembly; 21. Upper screen; 22. Lower screen; 23. Support inner cylinder; 231. Annular protrusion; 24. Sealing ring; 3. Stirring device; 31. Stirring blade; 32. Stirring drive source; 4. Tank cover; 41. Tank cover drive source; 5. pH electrode; 6. DO electrode; 7. Cap; 8. Handle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments so that those skilled in the art can better understand the present invention and implement it. However, the embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0027] Reference Figure 1-Figure 5 As shown, a bioreactor of the present invention comprises:

[0028] The tank body 1 has a plurality of support blocks 11 arranged in a circular array around its circumference on its inner wall;

[0029] The screen assembly 2 is arranged in the tank body 1. The screen assembly 2 includes an upper screen 21, a lower screen 22 and a supporting inner cylinder 23. The upper screen 21 and the lower screen 22 are both annular structures. The upper screen 21 and the lower screen 22 are respectively sleeved on the two ends of the supporting inner cylinder 23, and the lower screen 22 is fixedly connected to the supporting inner cylinder 23 and overlapped on the support block 11. The upper screen 21 is movably connected to the supporting inner cylinder 23 and overlapped on the annular protrusion 231 provided on the circumferential surface of the supporting inner cylinder 23. At the same time, a sealing ring 24 is provided between the upper screen 21 and the lower screen 22 and the inner wall of the tank body 1.

[0030] Specifically, the support blocks 11 are positioned near the bottom of the tank body 1, with the top surfaces of each support block 11 located on the same horizontal plane. Thus, the multiple support blocks 11 arranged in a circular array form a load-bearing structure for supporting the lower screen 22 and the entire screen assembly 2. The tank body 1 is cylindrical, the upper screen 21 and the lower screen 22 are annular structures that match the inner diameter of the tank body, and the supporting inner cylinder 23 is a cylindrical structure with a circular cross-section.

[0031] The loading process of the carrier: open the tank cover 4, first place the connected lower screen 22 and the supporting inner cylinder 23 into the tank body 1, and make the lower screen 22 at the lower end be stably supported on the bearing position formed by the support block 11, then cover the cap 7 on the end of the supporting inner cylinder 23 away from the lower screen 22, and then introduce the carrier into the tank body 1, then remove the cap 7, put the upper screen 21 onto the supporting inner cylinder 23 and make the bottom of the upper screen 21 in close contact with the annular protrusion 231, introduce the carrier, close the tank cover 4, and the loading is completed.

[0032] It should be noted that when installing the upper sieve 21 and the lower sieve 22 , it is necessary to ensure that the sealing ring 24 is pressed tightly between the two sieves and the inner wall of the tank body 1 , thereby ensuring the sealing and stability of the internal structure.

[0033] A bioreactor of the present invention abandons the traditional sieve fixing method (an inner cylinder is set in the tank body 1 to fix the sieve), and a support block 11 for carrying the sieve structure is set on the inner wall of the tank body 1, thereby leaving a suitable installation space for the stirring device 3 at the bottom of the tank body 1, which is conducive to the stirring device 3 providing a stirring output with a larger torque during stirring, and reduces the obstruction of the internal connection structure to stirring, can effectively improve the stirring effect of the stirring device 3, and thus make the reaction more efficient and uniform; at the same time, the present bioreactor is designed with a unique sieve assembly 2 structure. After the sieve assembly 2 is installed in the tank body 1, the upper sieve 21 can be easily disassembled, which is convenient for the operator to clean and maintain the sieve, thereby shortening the downtime period and enhancing the continuous operation capability of the device.

[0034] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, further, an annular groove is formed on the circumferential surface of the upper sieve plate 21 and the lower sieve plate 22, and a sealing ring 24 is provided in the annular groove.

[0035] Furthermore, the upper sieve 21 and the lower sieve 22 each include an annular plate and an annular ring. The annular plate is provided with a plurality of through holes arranged in an array. The annular ring is coaxially connected to the circumferential surface of the annular plate, and an annular groove is coaxially provided on the side surface of the annular ring. Specifically, the porosity affects the resistance of the fluid when passing through the sieve. A high porosity helps to reduce the pressure drop and increase the fluid flux. Therefore, the aperture design of the through holes on the sieve needs to be determined according to the size of the carrier to ensure that the culture medium liquid can be evenly distributed and flow. For example, if the size of the carrier is about 10mm*5mm*5mm, a 4.5mm aperture is selected, and the hole spacing is 5.5mm. This can ensure that 65% of the sieve surface is open, allowing the culture medium to pass through, while the remaining 35% is the solid part of the sieve, which plays a supporting role. In this way, the sieve has sufficient strength and good permeability, which is conducive to the fluidity of the liquid during the reaction process.

[0036] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, further, it includes a stirring device 3, which includes a stirring blade 31 and a stirring drive source 32. The stirring blade 31 is rotatably set at the bottom of the tank body 1, and the stirring blade 31 is connected to the output end of the stirring drive source 32.

[0037] Furthermore, the tank body 1 is a cylindrical tank body with an open end. A tank cover 4 is movably provided at the open end of the tank body 1 . The tank cover 4 is connected to a tank cover driving source 41 for driving the tank cover 4 to open or close.

[0038] Furthermore, a pH electrode 5 and a DO electrode 6 are provided for monitoring the pH and dissolved oxygen in the tank 1, respectively. The pH electrode 5 and the DO electrode 6 are both provided at the bottom of the tank 1. Real-time monitoring and adjustment of the pH and dissolved oxygen by the pH electrode 5 and the DO electrode 6 are beneficial to improving the stability and efficiency of the reaction.

[0039] Furthermore, the tank body 1 is also connected to a liquid adding pipe extending into the interior of the tank body 1 .

[0040] Furthermore, a cap 7 is included. The cap 7 includes a cylindrical main body with a circular groove at one end and a pull ring at the other end. It is conceivable that closing the cap 7 on the support inner cylinder 23 can prevent the carrier from falling into the support inner cylinder 23 during the loading process.

[0041] Furthermore, a handle 8 is provided on the upper screen 21 to facilitate installation and removal of the upper screen 21 .

[0042] Furthermore, three support blocks 11 are provided and are evenly spaced around the circumference of the tank body 1 , but the number is not limited to three, as long as it is ensured that the lower screen plate 22 can be stably supported in the tank body 1 .

[0043] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely examples for clarity of explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation methods. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other variations or modifications based on the above descriptions are possible. It is not necessary and impossible to enumerate all implementation methods here. Obvious variations or modifications arising therefrom remain within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bioreactor, characterized in that include: A tank body, wherein the inner wall of the tank body is provided with a plurality of support blocks arranged in a circular array around the circumference thereof; The screen assembly is arranged in the tank body, and the screen assembly includes an upper screen, a lower screen and a supporting inner cylinder. The upper screen and the lower screen are both annular structures. The upper screen and the lower screen are respectively sleeved on the two ends of the supporting inner cylinder, and the lower screen is fixedly connected to the supporting inner cylinder and overlapped on the supporting block. The upper screen is movably connected to the supporting inner cylinder and overlapped on the annular protrusion provided on the circumferential surface of the supporting inner cylinder. At the same time, sealing rings are provided between the upper and lower screens and the inner wall of the tank body.

2. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: Annular grooves are provided on the circumferential surfaces of the upper sieve plate and the lower sieve plate, and the sealing rings are provided in the annular grooves.

3. The bioreactor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper sieve plate and the lower sieve plate both include an annular plate and an annular ring. The annular plate is provided with a plurality of through holes arranged in an array. The annular ring is coaxially connected to the circumferential surface of the annular plate, and the annular groove is coaxially provided on the side surface of the annular ring.

4. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stirring device comprises a stirring blade and a stirring driving source. The stirring blade is rotatably arranged at the bottom of the tank body and is connected to the output end of the stirring driving source.

5. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The can body is a cylindrical can body with an open end. A can cover is movably provided on the open end of the can body. The can cover is connected to a can cover driving source for driving the can cover to open or close.

6. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a pH electrode and a DO electrode for monitoring the pH and dissolved oxygen in the tank body respectively, and the pH electrode and the DO electrode are both arranged at the bottom of the tank body.

7. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The utility model further comprises a cap, which comprises a cylindrical main body part, one end of which is provided with a circular groove, and the other end of which is connected with a pull ring.

8. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tank body is also connected to a liquid adding pipe extending into the interior of the tank body.

9. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: A handle is provided on the upper screen plate.

10. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support blocks are provided in three numbers and are evenly spaced around the circumference of the tank body.

Images