Deformable Containers for Biological Freezing Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for freezing and thawing biological materials face challenges in reproducibility and scalability, especially for volumes greater than a few liters, due to limitations in heat transfer and handling operations, and the need for sterile conditions and disposable containers that are not yet fully realized in existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing deformable containers with a high aspect ratio, supported by compact heat transfer plates and temperature-controlled cavities, allows for efficient freezing and thawing of biological materials across various volumes, from tens to thousands of liters, with features like expandable bags and compressible insulators to manage mechanical stresses and ensure sterility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single large container is used for freezing hundreds of liters, then filling and transportation become practical, but heat transfer is severely limited due to reduced aspect ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the large volume into multiple smaller containers (1-20 liters each) that can be simultaneously processed. Each container maintains a high aspect ratio for effective heat transfer, while the overall system handles hundreds of liters through parallel processing of multiple segmented units.
2Temperature
If multiple small containers are used for freezing, then heat transfer and freezing control are improved, but handling operations and number of procedures are considerably increased
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple small containers are combined into a single integrated system where they share common support structures, cooling mechanisms, and control systems. This merging approach maintains the freezing control benefits of small containers while reducing the operational complexity of handling them as separate units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system design allows the same apparatus to handle multiple container sizes and configurations simultaneously. The support structure and cooling system are universal enough to accommodate different container arrangements, reducing the need for specialized procedures for each container.
3Temperature
If immersion of heat transfer surfaces is used in the solution, then heat transfer rate is improved, but washing and sterilization become complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs disposable containers that are pre-sterilized and used for a single freezing cycle. This eliminates the need for complex washing and sterilization procedures for the containers themselves, while the external heat transfer surfaces remain separate and easily cleanable.
4Ease of manufacture
If disposable containers are used, then cleaning and sterilization validation is simplified, but system scalability to large volumes is not yet achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the advantages of disposable containers with the capability to handle large volumes by integrating multiple disposable containers into a single processed batch. The system can simultaneously process many disposable containers, achieving both the sterilization simplicity of disposables and the volume capacity needed for industrial applications.
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 approach enhances heat transfer rates, reproducibility, and scalability while maintaining ease of operation and storage, addressing the limitations of existing technologies by enabling rapid and uniform freezing and thawing of large volumes under sterile conditions.
Implementation Method 1
horizontal heat transfer plates (132)... placed in contact with all heat transfer plates (132) of said support (100)
Implementation Method 2
a compressible insulator, sufficiently compressible to absorb the mechanical stresses caused by the expansion of the biological material due to freezing
Implementation Method 3
the expansion of the biological material due to freezing
Implementation Method 4
expansion of the biological material due to freezing
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application discloses a system and method for preservation, storage and transport of biological materials by the use of at least one deformable container configured with at least one inlet at one end, an outer surface greater than 80% of the total surface of the cavities (101) of the support (100) and a width and length sufficient for it to be placed in contact with all the heat transfer plates (132) of the support (100). This technology allows improvement of the heat transfer necessary for freezing and thawing large volumes of solutions containing biological materials. This technology allows to considerably accelerate the heat transfer, as well as the reproducibility and scalability of the freezing and thawing process while keeping the system very compact.