Biopharma Fluid Container Layout for Uniform Freezing and Thawing

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for freezing, transporting, and storing biopharmaceutically produced active ingredients face issues with uneven freezing due to container geometry, leading to cryoconcentration and costly validation processes during scale-up.

Innovation Solution

The device incorporates an additional hollow area for a heat transfer medium within the container, allowing for heat transfer from two sides, which enhances freezing uniformity and reliability, and can be arranged in a modular configuration for flexible application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a container with a single hollow area for heat transfer medium is used, then the device structure remains simple, but freezing uniformity deteriorates due to uneven heat distribution causing cryoconcentration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer structureVSAvoidfreezing uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into multiple hollow areas (first hollow area and second hollow area) that are spatially separated and positioned at different locations within the container. This segmentation allows the heat transfer medium to access the fluid from multiple directions simultaneously, creating more uniform freezing conditions throughout the fluid volume and preventing cryoconcentration at specific locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different hollow areas are positioned to provide heat transfer to different regions of the fluid, ensuring that each local region receives appropriate heat removal. The first hollow area may be positioned to cool one region while the second hollow area cools another region, creating locally optimized freezing conditions that collectively achieve uniform overall freezing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If multiple hollow areas for heat transfer medium are added to improve freezing uniformity, then freezing reliability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefreezing reliabilityVSAvoidcontainer structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into multiple hollow areas (first hollow area and second hollow area) that are spatially separated and positioned at different locations within the container. This segmentation allows the heat transfer medium to access the fluid from multiple directions simultaneously, creating more uniform freezing conditions throughout the fluid volume and preventing cryoconcentration at specific locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hollow areas are integrated within the container structure in a nested arrangement, where the first and second hollow areas are positioned within the container walls or structure. This nesting approach allows multiple heat transfer pathways to be incorporated without proportionally increasing the overall device volume or external footprint, thereby improving reliability while controlling complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Productivity

If heat transfer medium flows through multiple hollow areas, then heat transfer efficiency improves enabling faster freezing, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefreezing speedVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The container is divided into multiple hollow areas (first hollow area and second hollow area) that are spatially separated and positioned at different locations within the container. This segmentation allows the heat transfer medium to access the fluid from multiple directions simultaneously, creating more uniform freezing conditions throughout the fluid volume and preventing cryoconcentration at specific locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple hollow areas are combined into a single integrated container structure, allowing the heat transfer medium to flow through multiple pathways in series or parallel. This merging of heat transfer pathways increases the total heat transfer surface area and efficiency, enabling faster freezing speeds while the integrated design helps manage energy consumption through optimized fluid flow paths.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution ensures safer, faster, and more uniform freezing and thawing of fluids, reducing the risk of cryoconcentration and simplifying the scale-up process by maintaining consistent freezing conditions across multiple devices.

Implementation Method 1

a hollow area (4) for receiving a heat transfer medium (5) for the fluid (1) is formed or arranged in the container (2)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3133360A1Device for freezing, transporting, storing and/or defrosting fluids, as well as a carrier for such devices

Publication Date: 2017.02.22 BILFINGER INDTECHN SALZBURG GMBH

AI summary

A device for freezing, transporting, storing and/or thawing fluids (1), in particular biopharmaceutically produced active substances and products, with a container (2) for receiving a fluid (1) in a receiving area (3) of the container (2), a hollow area (4) for accommodating a heat transfer medium (5) for the fluid (1) is additionally formed or arranged in the container (2), is with regard to a particularly safe and uniform freezing of a fluid (1) with structurally simple Means designed and developed in such a way that in the container (2) at least one further hollow area (6) for receiving a heat transfer medium (5) for the fluid (1) is designed or arranged. Furthermore, a carrier with several devices is specified, the carrier having a base element (13) for arranging the devices on the base element (13).