Flexible Bioreactor Sensor Sheathing for Fill Level Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bioreactors with flexible walls and electrical sensors face challenges in adjusting to varying fill levels and risk contamination due to sensor placement and sealing issues, particularly when using rigid cylindrical sheathings or optical sensors that are costly and complex.
Innovation Solution
A bioreactor with flexible walls and a sensor system featuring electrically conductive plates on a flexible hose or bellows sheathing, allowing for easy positioning and height adjustment, along with a longitudinally displaceable tube for sealing and contamination prevention, enabling low-cost, single-use, and foldable design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sensors are arranged directly on the flexible wall, then the container can be folded up, but the sensors cannot be adjusted to differing fill levels
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is mounted on a displaceable sheathing that can move longitudinally within the adapter, allowing dynamic adjustment of sensor height to match different fill levels. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between maintaining foldability and enabling adjustability.
2Reliability
If a rigid cylindrical sheathing is used for sensor placement, then sensor height can be fixed, but leaks and contamination occur between sheathing and adapter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid cylindrical sheathing with a flexible bellows structure. The bellows can expand and contract while maintaining sealing, preventing leaks and contamination. Simultaneously, the sheathing remains displaceable within the adapter, preserving fill level adjustability.
3Reliability
If an optical sensor separated by transparent window is used, then contamination is prevented, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a simple electrical sensor with conductive plates that can be disposed of after single use. This eliminates the need for expensive optical sensors with transparent windows while maintaining the ability to prevent contamination through proper sensor placement and flexible sealing structures.
4Reliability
If probe is permanently connected to top, then sealing problems are reduced, but fill level adjustment becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The sheathing is designed to be displaceable within the adapter rather than permanently fixed. This dynamic connection allows the sensor to be repositioned for different fill levels while the adapter maintains reliable sealing throughout the range of motion.
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 solution provides a cost-effective, adjustable, and contamination-free bioreactor capable of measuring conductivity or impedance, suitable for single use and easy sterilization, while ensuring reliable sealing and preventing contamination.
Implementation Method 1
The conductivity or impedance of a medium that surrounds the plates can be determined
Implementation Method 2
The conductivity or impedance of a medium that surrounds the plates can be determined
Data Source
AI summary
A container (2) has flexible walls surrounding a container interior (6). At least one electrical sensor (3, 3′, 3″, 3′″, 3″″) projects into the container interior (6) and has at least first and second electrically conductive plates (8, 8′, 9, 9′, 9′″) for determining the conductivity or impedance of a medium that surrounds the plates (8, 8′, 9, 9′, 9′″). The plates (8, 8′, 9, 9′, 9′″) are connected via connecting lines (10, 11) to a control and regulating unit (4) outside the container interior (6). At least the first plate (8, 8′) is on a closed free end of a sheathing (5, 5′, 5″″) and has a contact area exposed to the surrounding medium. The sheathing (5, 5′, 5″″, 17, 17″″) is a flexible hose (7) or bellows (19, 19″″) through which the electrical connecting line (10, 11) of the plate (8, 8′, 9, 9′, 9′″) is routed.