Bioreactor Vessel Rigid Ledge for Automated Fluid Connection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Bioreactor systems face challenges in optimizing conditions for cell culture production due to the complexity of controlling multiple parameters, high operational costs, and the lack of suitable small-scale models that accurately replicate large-scale conditions, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs in product yield optimization and cell line screening.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a bioreactor vessel design featuring a sideways-projecting rigid ledge with an externally-facing connection port and a conduit integrated into the vessel, allowing for direct fluid pathway establishment with a base station, eliminating the need for intermediary conduits and reducing contamination risks, and a system for simultaneous connection of multiple vessels to streamline experiment setup and reduce labor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional bioreactor vessels are used with separate connection components, then fluid pathways can be established, but the setup process becomes complex and time-consuming with increased contamination risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the connection port and conduit into a single integrated component that is pre-attached to the bioreactor vessel. The rigid ledge with the connection port provides a stable mounting surface, and the conduit is directly connected to it, eliminating the need for separate connection components and manual assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The conduit is pre-positioned and pre-connected to the connection port on the rigid ledge before the vessel is placed in the bioreactor system. This preliminary assembly ensures proper alignment and connection readiness, reducing setup time and contamination risks during operation.
2Productivity
If multiple bioreactor vessels are processed individually, then each can be optimized, but the overall throughput and productivity are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized rigid ledge with connection port design creates a universal interface that can accommodate multiple vessels simultaneously in the bioreactor system. This multi-functional design allows parallel processing of multiple vessels with the same connection mechanism, significantly increasing throughput.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flexible conduits are used for fluid connections, then adaptability is improved, but connection stability and alignment precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid ledge acts as an intermediary structure between the vessel and the external fluid supply system. It provides a stable, precisely positioned connection port that ensures accurate alignment, while still allowing for some flexibility in the overall system configuration.
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 2~3A
Figure 4~14
AI summary
A bioreactor vessel (100) is provided with a rigid ledge projecting to a side thereof and defining fluid conduits (136a-c) between three respective externally-facing ports (132a-c) and a vessel chamber (105). A bioreactor system includes a cell culture module (10) having a receiving station (14) in which the vessel (100) is received, in use. Three fluid connection ports (314a-c) are located adjacent to the receiving station (14) and are in fluid connection with associated gas and/or liquid input lines (302a-c, 316, 318) via a valve assembly (300). When the vessel (100) is inserted into the receiving station, the rigid nature of the ledge and the defined positions of the receiving station connection ports (314a-c) mean that the externally-facing ports (132a-c) on the vessel are brought into registration with the receiving station connection ports (314a-c), thereby forming respective fluid connections automatically, without having to manually couple fluid lines on the vessel (100) to ports on the cell culture base (12).