Bioreactor Insert for Homogeneous Cell Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cell treatment devices in bioreactors face issues with inhomogeneous process conditions and high energy requirements due to inefficient mixing units, which affect cell proliferation and the uniformity of treated cell material, and are not optimal for on-line analytical methods.
Innovation Solution
A device with a removable and sterilizable insert that contains a treatment space with electrodes for emitting electric pulses, allowing for homogeneous treatment conditions and easy analysis, where the insert can be easily cleaned or sterilized and is designed to be inserted into a bioreactor for efficient cell treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If electrodes are permanently arranged in the bioreactor housing, then treatment can be performed continuously, but cleaning and sterilization becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into a permanent housing and a removable insert containing the electrodes. This segmentation allows the insert to be easily removed for cleaning and sterilization while the housing remains in place, resolving the contradiction between continuous treatment capability and ease of maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrodes are extracted from the permanent housing structure and placed in a removable insert. This extraction enables the electrodes to be easily accessed, removed, and sterilized separately from the main housing, solving the cleaning and sterilization difficulty while maintaining continuous treatment operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If mixing unit is operated consistently to homogenize cell material, then homogeneous treatment conditions are achieved, but energy requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing function is extracted from the main bioreactor and relocated to a separate bypass line. This allows mixing to occur only when needed for sampling or specific operations, rather than continuously, thereby reducing energy consumption while still achieving homogeneous treatment conditions when required.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuous mixing operation, the system uses periodic or on-demand mixing in the bypass line. The mixing unit operates only when cell material needs to be homogenized for treatment or analysis, reducing overall energy requirements while maintaining treatment homogeneity when needed.
3Productivity
If treatment space is large to process more cell material, then productivity increases, but process condition homogeneity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment system is segmented into a small, controlled treatment space within the insert and a larger bioreactor volume. The small treatment space ensures homogeneous electric field distribution and process conditions, while the larger bioreactor provides bulk cell material processing capacity through the bypass circulation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The bypass line acts as an intermediary between the large bioreactor volume and the small treatment space. Cell material is circulated through the bypass where it can be mixed and prepared, then a portion is directed to the treatment space for homogeneous treatment, allowing both large-scale processing and precise treatment conditions.
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
The device provides efficient and cost-effective cell treatment with homogeneous process conditions, reducing energy requirements and enabling easy analysis of treated cells, suitable for medical, environmental, and bio-based industries, including yeast, lactobacilli, algae, and cell tissue production systems.
Implementation Method 1
electrodes for emitting electric pulses and has an electrical convection, characterized in that a treatment space is provided in said insert, wherein said treatment space can be penetrated by the electric pulses emitted by said electrodes and an electric field resulting therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is related to an insert for a device for treating cells, wherein said insert comprises electrodes for emitting electric pulses and has an electrical connection, wherein a treatment space is provided in said insert, wherein said treatment space can be penetrated by the electric pulses emitted by said electrodes and an electric field resulting therefrom. The present invention is also related to such a device and to a method performed with said device.