A bioreactor vessel

Abstract

The utility model relates to biological reaction instrument technical field discloses a kind of biological reaction tank, solve the problem.The utility model includes tank body;Sealing shell, detachably installed in tank body;First stirring assembly, including first installation part, first stirring structure and first aeration disc, first installation part is fixed on the upper portion of sealing shell, first stirring structure is installed in the installation part, first aeration disc is integrated with multiple first air holes and at least one feeding port, air hole and feeding port are communicated with the inner chamber of sealing shell;Second stirring assembly, including second installation part, second stirring structure and second aeration disc;Multiple supporting legs, be equipped at tank body bottom, each supporting leg is equipped with weighing sensor, weighing sensor is used for real-time on-line monitoring the total mass change in the tank body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of bioreactor technology, and in particular to a bioreactor. Background Technology

[0002] Bioreactors are core equipment providing a controlled reaction environment for processes such as cell culture, microbial fermentation, and biopharmaceuticals. Their performance directly affects product yield, quality, and the success rate of process scale-up. While traditional stainless steel reactors are widely used, they suffer from complex cleaning and sterilization processes, susceptibility to residual contaminants, and a high risk of batch-to-batch cross-contamination. To address these challenges, single-use bioreactor technology has emerged, gradually becoming an important development direction in modern bioprocessing due to its advantages such as avoiding cross-contamination, reducing the burden of cleaning validation, and improving production flexibility.

[0003] However, existing single-use bioreactors, especially stirred tank reactors, still face significant technical bottlenecks. Most products are limited by their structural design, typically featuring only a single magnetic stirring unit at the top or bottom of the reaction bag. This layout results in a limited stirring range, making it difficult to create a uniform and efficient flow field and mixing effect within large reaction bags (especially those with a large height-to-diameter ratio). Dead zones easily form in the culture medium far from the agitator, leading to uneven distribution of temperature, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, and pH. This not only affects the uniformity of cell growth but may also accelerate the localized accumulation of metabolic waste.

[0004] Meanwhile, existing reactors lack sufficient integration in process monitoring and control. For example, real-time monitoring of culture medium weight (reflecting feeding or harvesting progress), key biochemical parameters, and pressure often relies on external or offline methods, making it difficult to achieve precise closed-loop feedback control and limiting the improvement of process repeatability and automation levels. Utility Model Content

[0005] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a bioreactor capable of reacting materials.

[0006] On one hand, the bioreactor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0007] Tank body;

[0008] A sealing shell is detachably installed on the tank body;

[0009] The first stirring assembly includes a first mounting part, a first stirring structure, and a first venting plate. The first mounting part is fixed to the upper part of the sealing shell, the first stirring structure is mounted on the mounting part, and the first venting plate integrates a plurality of first vent holes and at least one feeding port. The vent holes and the feeding port are both connected to the inner cavity of the sealing shell.

[0010] The second stirring assembly includes a second mounting part, a second stirring structure, and a second venting plate. The second mounting part is fixed to the lower part of the sealing shell, the second stirring structure is mounted on the mounting part, and the second venting plate includes an annular porous pipe with a plurality of second venting holes. The second stirring structure is located in the middle of the annular porous pipe.

[0011] A first magnetic drive component is embedded in the upper part of the tank body, and the first magnetic drive component drives the first stirring structure through magnetic connection;

[0012] The second magnetic drive component is embedded in the lower part of the tank body, and the second magnetic drive component drives the second stirring structure through magnetic connection.

[0013] Multiple support legs are located at the bottom of the tank, and each leg is equipped with a weighing sensor for real-time online monitoring of changes in the total mass inside the tank.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the tank body is provided with a front cover plate, which can close the tank body or open the inner cavity of the tank body.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, an observation window is provided on the front cover plate.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the tank body is provided with an upper end cover, which is detachably installed on the tank body.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the present invention, both the first stirring assembly and the second stirring assembly include:

[0018] The tube body is rotatably disposed on the first mounting part, and the tube body is provided with a connecting part, which can be connected to the first magnetic drive assembly;

[0019] The mounting housing is located on the tube body;

[0020] A stirring blade is provided on the mounting housing.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a pressure detection component is also included, which is disposed within the sealing shell.

[0022] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first stirring structure and the second stirring structure can be independently controlled in speed and can be reversed in direction.

[0023] According to some embodiments of this utility model, the sealing shell integrates pH and dissolved oxygen detection ports.

[0024] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a baffle plate is provided inside the tank (100) or the sealing shell (200).

[0025] According to some embodiments of this utility model, it also includes an intelligent control cabinet, which is electrically connected to the tank body and is used to control the tank body.

[0026] The embodiments of this utility model have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0027] By setting independent first and second stirring components at the upper and lower ends of the sealed shell, three-dimensional full-range mixing of the reaction medium can be achieved, greatly expanding the stirring area and effectively eliminating mixing dead zones. The upper and lower stirring structures can independently control the speed and direction, forming a complex shear field and convection circulation in the fluid, significantly improving mixing efficiency and mass transfer effect, and are especially suitable for high viscosity or shear-sensitive bioreactor systems.

[0028] The first aeration plate integrates aeration and feeding functions. It can be used to maintain precise control of the pressure inside the reaction chamber, creating a suitable gaseous environment for cell growth or product synthesis, and can also achieve aseptic feeding to meet the process requirements of long-term culture. The second aeration plate adopts a ring-shaped porous pipeline design, which can be set with multiple directional adjustable micropores to generate uniform fine bubbles that are released from bottom to top. This not only significantly improves the gas-liquid contact area and dissolved oxygen efficiency, but also works synergistically with the second stirring structure to enhance local turbulence and further optimize the mixing and mass transfer process.

[0029] The upper and lower stirring mechanisms are driven by first and second magnetic drive components embedded in the tank body via non-contact magnetic coupling. This transmission method completely eliminates the risk of leakage and contamination caused by mechanical shaft seals, ensuring absolute sealing and aseptic integrity of the reaction process. It is extremely suitable for the production of advanced biopharmaceuticals, such as monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and cell therapy products, which have extremely strict requirements for aseptic environments.

[0030] The weighing sensors integrated into each support leg can monitor the total mass change of the reaction system in real time. After the signal is transmitted to the control system, it can form a closed-loop control with the feeding system and other actuators to realize precise and automated feeding or harvesting operations based on weight feedback, reduce manual intervention, and improve process control accuracy and batch consistency.

[0031] Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0032] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this utility model will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the bioreactor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the unsealed shell of the bioreactor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installed sealed shell of the bioreactor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the sealing shell according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the sealing shell according to an embodiment of the present utility model, in which part of it is a connecting pipeline structure;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the second ventilation disc in this embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure label:

[0040] Tank body 100, front cover plate 110, observation window 120, top cover 130;

[0041] Sealing shell 200;

[0042] The components include: a first stirring assembly 300, a first mounting part 310, a pipe body 321, a mounting shell 322, stirring blades 323, and a first stirring structure 320.

[0043] The second stirring assembly 400, the second mounting part 410, the second stirring structure, and the second venting plate 420;

[0044] First magnetic drive assembly 500;

[0045] Second magnetic drive assembly 600;

[0046] Support leg 700, load cell 710. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The following will describe several embodiments of the present invention, including embodiments corresponding to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are used to assist in understanding the technical features and technical solutions of the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0048] The following will provide a clear and complete description of the concept, specific structure, and technical effects of this utility model in conjunction with the embodiments and accompanying drawings, so as to fully understand the purpose, solution, and effects of this utility model. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other.

[0049] It should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly defined, when a feature is referred to as "fixed," "connected," or "installed" on another feature, it can be directly fixed or connected to the other feature, or it can be indirectly fixed or connected to the other feature. The terms "fixed," "connected," and "installed" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0050] It should be noted that the descriptions of orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as up, down, left, right, top, bottom, front, back, inside, and outside used in this utility model are based on the orientations or positional relationships indicated by the accompanying drawings or embodiments. They are only for the purpose of facilitating the description of this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0051] It should be noted that the term "and / or" used in this utility model includes any combination of one or more of the related listed items, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than", "less than", "exceeding" are understood to exclude the number itself, and "above", "below", "within" are understood to include the number itself.

[0052] It should be noted that the use of "first" and "second" in this utility model is only for the purpose of distinguishing technical features, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated, or implicitly indicating the order of the technical features indicated.

[0053] It should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and not for limiting the scope of the invention.

[0054] Reference Figures 1-6 The basic embodiment of the first aspect of this utility model provides a bioreactor, comprising:

[0055] Tank body 100;

[0056] The sealing shell 200 is detachably installed on the tank body 100;

[0057] The first stirring assembly 300 includes a first mounting part 310, a first stirring structure 320 and a first venting plate. The first mounting part 310 is fixed to the upper part of the sealing shell 200, the first stirring structure 320 is mounted on the mounting part, and the first venting plate integrates multiple first vent holes and at least one feeding port. Both the vent holes and the feeding port are connected to the inner cavity of the sealing shell 200.

[0058] The second stirring assembly 400 includes a second mounting part 410, a second stirring structure and a second vent plate 420. The second mounting part 410 is fixed to the lower part of the sealing shell 200, the second stirring structure is mounted on the mounting part, and the second vent plate 420 includes an annular porous pipe with multiple second vent holes. The second stirring structure is located in the middle of the annular porous pipe.

[0059] The first magnetic drive component 500 is embedded in the upper part of the tank 100, and the first magnetic drive component 500 drives the first stirring structure 320 through magnetic connection.

[0060] The second magnetic drive component 600 is embedded in the lower part of the tank 100. The second magnetic drive component 600 drives the second stirring structure through magnetic connection.

[0061] Multiple support legs 700 are located at the bottom of the tank body 100. Each support leg 700 is equipped with a weighing sensor 710, which is used to monitor the total mass change inside the tank in real time.

[0062] According to embodiments of this invention, this configuration achieves at least the following effects: by providing independent first stirring components 300 and second stirring components 400 at the upper and lower ends of the sealed shell 200, three-dimensional full-range mixing of the reaction medium can be realized, greatly expanding the stirring area and effectively eliminating mixing dead zones. The upper and lower stirring structures can independently adjust their rotation speed and direction, forming complex shear fields and convection circulation in the fluid, significantly improving mixing efficiency and mass transfer effect, especially suitable for high-viscosity or shear-sensitive bioreactor systems.

[0063] The first aeration plate integrates aeration and feeding functions. It can be used to maintain precise control of the pressure inside the reaction chamber, creating a suitable gaseous environment for cell growth or product synthesis, and can also achieve aseptic feeding to meet the process requirements of long-term culture. The second aeration plate 420 adopts a ring-shaped porous pipeline design, which can be set with multiple directional adjustable micropores to generate uniform fine bubbles that are released from bottom to top. This not only significantly improves the gas-liquid contact area and dissolved oxygen efficiency, but also works synergistically with the second stirring structure to enhance local turbulence and further optimize the mixing and mass transfer process.

[0064] The upper and lower stirring mechanisms are driven by the first and second magnetic drive components 600 embedded in the tank 100 through non-contact magnetic coupling. This transmission method completely eliminates the risk of leakage and contamination caused by mechanical shaft seals, ensuring the absolute sealing and sterility of the reaction process. It is extremely suitable for the production of advanced biological products such as monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and cell therapy products, which have extremely strict requirements for sterile environments.

[0065] The weighing sensor 710 integrated in each support 700 can monitor the total mass change of the reaction system in real time. After the signal is transmitted to the control system, it can form a closed-loop control with the feed port system and other actuators to realize precise and automated feeding or harvesting operations based on weight feedback, reduce manual intervention, and improve process control accuracy and batch consistency.

[0066] In addition, the bioreactor adopts a modular and integrated design, which facilitates cleaning, sterilization and maintenance, and takes into account the reliability of large-scale production and the operational flexibility of the research and development stage, and has good prospects for industrial application.

[0067] It should be noted that magnetic drive integrates an inner magnetic rotor on the shaft of the stirring element and an outer magnetic rotor on the drive end of the drive mechanism, achieving non-contact torque transmission through end cap isolation. This magnetic drive method completely solves the dynamic sealing problem, achieving complete isolation between the reaction bag and the external environment, eliminating the risk of leakage and contamination, and is particularly suitable for bioreactor processes with strict aseptic requirements.

[0068] It should be noted that the load cell typically outputs a signal, while the feed inlet is a physical interface. The sensor is not directly "electrically connected" to the feed inlet; rather, the sensor's signal output is electrically connected to the actuator (such as a pump or valve) or its controller that controls the feed inlet's opening and closing.

[0069] It should be noted that the sealing shell can be a flexible reaction bag or a rigid reaction shell.

[0070] In some embodiments, the tank 100 is provided with a front cover plate 110, which can either close the tank 100 or leave the inner cavity of the tank 100 open. The openable and closable front cover plate 110 greatly facilitates the cleaning, maintenance, and repair of the inside of the tank 100, as well as the installation and replacement of the sealing shell 200, improving the accessibility and user-friendliness of the equipment operation, while ensuring the airtightness when closed.

[0071] In some embodiments, the front cover 110 is provided with an observation window 120. This provides real-time visual monitoring of the reaction process inside the tank, allowing for intuitive understanding of the mixing state, cell growth, or foaming conditions without interrupting the reaction, thus supporting process decision-making.

[0072] In some embodiments, the tank 100 is provided with an upper cover 130, which is detachably mounted on the tank 100. This simplifies access and maintenance to the top of the tank 100, facilitates the installation and calibration of sensors (such as pH and dissolved oxygen probes) or the addition of other pipeline interfaces, and improves the modularity and maintainability of the equipment.

[0073] In some embodiments, the first stirring assembly 300 and the second stirring assembly 400 include:

[0074] The tube body 321 is rotatably disposed on the first mounting part 310. The tube body 321 is provided with a connecting part, which can be connected to the first magnetic drive assembly 500.

[0075] The housing 322 is installed on the tube body 321;

[0076] A stirring blade 323 is mounted on the housing 322.

[0077] In this configuration, the modular mixing assembly structure, through the combined design of the tube body 321, connecting part, mounting shell 322 and replaceable mixing blade 323, not only achieves efficient and reliable connection with the magnetic drive mechanism, but also makes the selection, replacement and cleaning of the mixing blade 323 more convenient, and can flexibly adapt to the requirements of different processes for shear force and mixing efficiency.

[0078] In some embodiments, a pressure detection component is also included, which is disposed within the sealing housing 200. This enables real-time in-situ monitoring of the internal pressure of the sealing housing 200, providing key parameters for process control, ensuring that the reaction environment is always within a safe pressure range, and guaranteeing process safety and repeatability.

[0079] In some embodiments, the first stirring structure 320 and the second stirring structure can be independently speed-controlled and their directions are reversible. The upper and lower stirring structures can independently adjust their rotation speed or even rotate in opposite directions, which can create a complex flow field and shear force distribution within the tank, significantly enhancing mixing efficiency, preventing eddy formation, and meeting the process requirements of special cultivation processes that are sensitive to shear forces.

[0080] In some embodiments, the sealing shell 200 integrates pH and dissolved oxygen detection ports. This supports the direct installation of online sensors, enabling continuous, real-time, and accurate monitoring of key biochemical parameters in the culture process, providing a data foundation for process feedback control and high-precision process optimization.

[0081] In some embodiments, the tank 100 or the sealing shell 200 is equipped with turbulence baffles inside. These elongated baffles, typically four in number, are vertically installed on the inner wall of the mixing tank or sealing shell and are evenly distributed. They break the tangential flow: the baffles effectively prevent the liquid from rotating with the agitator, eliminating vortices; they convert the tangential flow into axial turbulence: the liquid blocked by the baffles is forced to move upwards or downwards, thus generating strong axial flow and greatly promoting vertical mixing throughout the tank. The turbulence baffles also break up "isolation zones": without turbulence, fluids easily form stratified circulation within the mixing tank, meaning the fluid only moves within its own circulation loop, with slow exchange between them. Especially for high-viscosity fluids or in high-level tanks, areas such as the bottom and top corners of the tank easily form almost stationary "dead zones." Turbulence effectively carries the mainstream liquid into these dead zones and removes the liquid from the dead zones, thereby eliminating mixing dead zones and allowing the material throughout the tank to reach a homogeneous state more quickly. Reduced mixing time: By promoting liquid exchange between different circulation loops, turbulence greatly reduces the time required to fully mix two or more materials together.

[0082] It also includes an intelligent control cabinet, which is electrically connected to the tank body and is used to control the tank body. As a control mechanism, the intelligent control cabinet can control the operation inside the tank, detect the pH and dissolved oxygen values ​​inside the tank through pH and dissolved oxygen detection ports to determine the internal reaction status; determine the reaction efficiency through a weighing sensor; control the opening and closing of the feeding port in real time to feed materials into the tank; control the stirring efficiency by controlling the rotation speed of the stirring components; the tank body has a temperature-controlled jacket, the temperature of which can be controlled by the intelligent control cabinet and adjusted according to the requirements of the cell culture process.

[0083] In some embodiments, the tank 100 and the sealing shell 200 are made of transparent polymer material or stainless steel. The sealing shell can be an outer shell made of rigid material or a reaction bag made of flexible material, providing users with flexible options. Transparent polymer material facilitates full-process visual monitoring, while stainless steel material has excellent mechanical strength, corrosion resistance and long-term durability, which can meet diverse production scale and compliance requirements.

[0084] It should be noted that in this specification, terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "basic embodiment", and "extended embodiment" may be used to describe several embodiments of the present invention, and the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics of the several embodiments may be combined in accordance with the principles and spirit of the present invention.

[0085] Although some embodiments of the present utility model have been shown and described in this specification, the present utility model should not be limited to the above embodiments. As long as they achieve the technical effects of the present utility model by the same or equivalent means, any changes, modifications, equivalent substitutions and equivalent variations of these embodiments within the spirit and principles disclosed in the present utility model, without departing from the principles and purpose of the present utility model, should be included within the scope of protection disclosed in the present utility model and should be considered to fall within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A bioreactor, characterized in that, include: Tank body (100); A sealing shell (200) is detachably installed on the tank body (100); The first stirring assembly (300) includes a first mounting part (310), a first stirring structure (320) and a first venting plate. The first mounting part (310) is fixed to the upper part of the sealing shell (200), the first stirring structure (320) is mounted on the mounting part, and the first venting plate integrates a plurality of first vent holes and at least one feeding port. The vent holes and the feeding port are both connected to the inner cavity of the sealing shell (200). The second stirring assembly (400) includes a second mounting part (410), a second stirring structure, and a second vent plate (420). The second mounting part (410) is fixed to the lower part of the sealing shell (200), the second stirring structure is mounted on the mounting part, and the second vent plate (420) includes an annular porous pipe with a plurality of second vent holes. The second stirring structure is located in the middle of the annular porous pipe. The first magnetic drive component (500) is embedded in the upper part of the tank (100), and the first magnetic drive component (500) drives the first stirring structure (320) through magnetic connection; The second magnetic drive assembly (600) is embedded in the lower part of the tank (100), and the second magnetic drive assembly (600) drives the second stirring structure through magnetic connection. Multiple support legs (700) are provided at the bottom of the tank body (100), and each support leg (700) is equipped with a weighing sensor (710), which is used to monitor the total mass change inside the tank in real time.

2. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tank (100) is provided with a front cover plate (110), which can either close the tank (100) or open the inner cavity of the tank (100) where the sealing shell (200) is located.

3. The bioreactor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The front cover plate (110) is provided with an observation window (120).

4. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tank (100) is provided with an upper end cover (130), which is detachably installed on the tank (100).

5. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the first stirring assembly (300) and the second stirring assembly (400) include: The tube body (321) is rotatably disposed on the first mounting part (310), and the tube body (321) is provided with a connecting part, which can be connected to the first magnetic drive assembly (500); The mounting housing (322) is disposed on the tube body (321); A stirring blade (323) is provided on the mounting housing (322).

6. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a pressure detection component, which is disposed within the sealing housing (200).

7. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first stirring structure (320) and the second stirring structure can be independently controlled in speed and can be reversed in direction.

8. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing shell (200) integrates pH and dissolved oxygen detection ports.

9. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tank body (100) or the sealing shell (200) is provided with a baffle plate.

10. The bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an intelligent control cabinet, which is electrically connected to the tank and is used to control the tank.

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