Bioreactor Sensor Port Upper-Side Sterile Integration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bioreactors, particularly those designed as bags, face challenges in integrating a sensor system due to flexibility issues and the risk of contamination when trying to maintain sterility, as traditional connecting ports are not suitable and can introduce impurities into the reactant.
Innovation Solution
A bioreactor design featuring a receiving port at the upper side of the reactor bag with a flange piece and tubular connector, allowing a transparent sensor piece with an indicator tile to be securely immersed in the reactant without compromising the bag's support, enabling sterilization of the port and eliminating the need for separate sterilization of the fiber optic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a traditional connecting port is used to insert a sensor into the reactor vessel, then the sensor can be positioned to monitor reactant properties, but the connection and sensor must be kept sterile which creates danger of impurities being brought into the reactor vessel
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is segmented into two separate parts: a sterile sensor piece with indicator tile that remains inside the reactor vessel, and a non-sterile fiber optic that connects to the display device outside. The receiving port with flange piece and tubular connector piece allows this segmentation, enabling the sensor piece to be sterilized with the vessel interior while the fiber optic does not require sterilization as it never contacts the vessel interior or reactant.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator tile acts as an intermediary that transfers information from the reactant to the fiber optic. The indicator tile changes its optical properties in contact with the reactant, and this optical information is transmitted through the fiber optic to the display device, eliminating the need for the fiber optic to directly contact or be sterilized with the reactant.
2Ease of manufacture
If the reactor vessel is designed as a flexible bag, then it offers manufacturing advantages and ease of operation, but a connecting port cannot be formed on the bag due to flexibility issues
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving port is arranged in the central region of the reactor bag in the vertical dimension, extending into the vessel interior from the upper side. This vertical arrangement allows the sensor piece to reach into the reactant from above through the flexible bag wall, avoiding the need for horizontal connecting ports that would compromise the bag's flexibility and support structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The reactor vessel is designed as a flexible bag with a receiving port that includes a flange piece tightly sealed to the vessel wall. The flange piece provides a secure connection point on the flexible bag, allowing the rigid sensor assembly to be mounted while maintaining the bag's flexibility and support characteristics.
3Measurement precision
If the sensor piece reaches into the reactant from the lower side, then it can contact the reactant for monitoring, but the lower support surface necessary for the bag is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of inserting the sensor from the lower side of the bag, the receiving port and sensor piece are inverted to the upper side of the reactor bag. The sensor piece extends into the vessel interior from above, allowing it to contact the reactant for monitoring while preserving the lower support surface of the bag for its structural support function.
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 design ensures secure, sterile monitoring of reactant properties without contaminating the bioreactor, allowing continuous contact with the reactant during oscillations and enabling accurate analysis of properties like oxygen content and pH without compromising the bag's support structure.
Implementation Method 1
A fiber optic that may be introduced into the receiving port and is contacted to a display device
Implementation Method 2
the indicator tile changes its optical properties depending on the properties to be determined and concentrations of the value to be determined. Therefore, the light beam emitted from the fiber optic on to the indicator tile is reflected and sent back to the display device
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a bioreactor, comprising a reactor vessel (2) with a housing support (20,20a), extending into the vessel interior (14), with a medium seal against the vessel interior (14) with a transparent sensor piece (34,34a) and an indicator tile (38,38a), arranged in the vessel interior (14), in contact with the vessel contents, which may be scanned by a fiber optic which may itself be introduced into the housing support (20,20a) and connected to a display device (24). In order that the reactor may be embodied as a bag, the housing support (20,20a) is arranged on the upper side of the reactor bag and provided with a flange piece (26) tightly sealed to the vessel wall (28). The flange piece is connected to the sensor piece (34,34a) by means of a preferably tubular connector piece (32,23a), whereby the length of the connector piece is such that the sensor piece (34,34a) permanently reaches into the reactant.