Disposable Bubble Trap Assembly for Sterile High-Pressure Bioprocessing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In biopharmaceutical processes, existing bubble traps are costly due to the need for cleaning and sanitization after single use, and they fail to efficiently manage high pressures, making them ineffective for repeated use without compromising sterility and process consistency.
Innovation Solution
A disposable liner with gas and fluid ports, housed in a rigid vessel, allowing for quick replacement and capable of withstanding pressures above 8 bars, ensuring a sterile and uncontaminated process by facilitating easy installation and removal, and incorporating a split design for enhanced durability and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a disposable liner is used in a bubble trap assembly, then cleaning time is eliminated and sterility is maintained, but the cost per use increases due to disposable components
Solution Approach 1:
The bubble trap assembly is divided into reusable components (vessel, bottom cap, top cap) and a disposable component (liner). This segmentation allows the expensive vessel to be reused while only the inexpensive liner is discarded after single use, resolving the contradiction between eliminating cleaning time and controlling costs.
Solution Approach 2:
A disposable liner is introduced as a low-cost, single-use component that eliminates the need to clean and sanitize the expensive vessel. The liner is discarded after one use, while the vessel can be reused indefinitely, solving the time-loss problem without significantly increasing overall cost.
2Strength
If a rigid vessel is used to house the liner, then structural strength is maintained for high-pressure applications, but device complexity increases due to assembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The vessel is segmented into separable portions (bottom cap and top cap) that can be easily assembled and disassembled. This allows the complex task of inserting the liner to be simplified by opening the vessel, placing the liner, and closing it, reducing the perceived complexity despite maintaining structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The liner is nested inside the rigid vessel, with the liner conforming to the inner surface of the vessel. This nested structure allows the disposable liner to be protected and contained within the durable vessel, maintaining strength while simplifying the overall assembly concept.
3Ease of operation
If the bottom cap is formed by separable portions, then liner installation is facilitated, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom cap is divided into two separable portions with mating elements that align when assembled. This segmentation facilitates liner installation by allowing the cap to be opened, the liner to be positioned, and the cap to be closed, while the mating elements ensure proper alignment without complex assembly procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A bubble trap assembly for critical bioprocess applications. The assembly includes a disposable liner including a gas port disposed on a top of the liner, and two fluid ports disposed on the bottom of the liner. The fluid ports coupled in-line to the critical bioprocess application. A rigid vessel is included for housing the liner. The liner being sized to substantially conform to a shape of the inside of the vessel. The vessel includes an upper aperture for aligning with the gas port and a bottom opening opposed to the upper aperture. A bottom cap is included, removeably secured to the vessel and closing the bottom opening. The bottom cap together with the vessel substantially enclosing the liner. The bottom cap includes two lower apertures for aligning with the fluid ports. The bottom cap being formed by two cap portions capable of being separated.