Flexible Vortex Breaker for Collapsible Mixing Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vortex breakers in collapsible mixing vessels form stagnant pockets and disrupt convective flow, leading to undesirable cell accumulation and cultivation condition deterioration.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible mixing vessel with flexible plastic film vortex breakers attached to the side and bottom walls via string elements, creating gaps to prevent stagnant zones and maintain convective flow, allowing for tensioning to withstand viscous drag forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a vortex breaker extends horizontally across the bag from the bag walls, then vortexing is prevented, but stagnant pockets are formed at the vortex breaker-bag wall interface where cells and microcarriers accumulate
Solution Approach 1:
The vortex breaker is made from flexible plastic film that can be tensioned to form a tight, taut surface. This flexible membrane configuration prevents the formation of stagnant pockets while maintaining effective vortex breaking, as the tensioned film creates a smooth surface that does not trap cells or microcarriers at interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state of the vortex breaker from a rigid or loosely-supported structure to a tensioned flexible membrane. By applying tension to the plastic film, the vortex breaker achieves a taut configuration that eliminates stagnant zones while maintaining its vortex-breaking function, thus resolving the contradiction between vortex prevention and stagnant pocket formation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a vortex breaker extends horizontally across the bag, then vortexing is prevented, but convective flow inside the bag is disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible plastic film vortex breaker can be tensioned to create a minimal-profile structure that breaks vortices without creating significant flow resistance. The taut membrane configuration allows convective flow to pass through with minimal disturbance while still effectively preventing vortex formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The vortex breaker is configured as a membrane that spans the bag diameter, creating a two-dimensional barrier that breaks vortices. This dimensional approach allows the structure to be thin and minimally intrusive to the three-dimensional convective flow patterns, reducing flow disturbance while maintaining vortex-breaking effectiveness.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the mixing vessel is collapsible, then flexibility and ease of disposal are achieved, but the vortex breaker must also be flexible to collapse with the vessel
Solution Approach 1:
The vortex breaker is constructed from flexible plastic film that can collapse with the mixing vessel while maintaining structural integrity. The flexible membrane can be tensioned to withstand viscous drag forces during mixing operations, and then relaxed to allow collapse of the vessel for disposal or storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The vortex breaker is designed as a dynamic structure that can transition between tensioned and relaxed states. During mixing, the flexible film is tensioned to provide structural support and withstand forces; during collapse, the tension is released allowing the vessel and vortex breaker to compress together, achieving both strength and collapsibility.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention discloses a generally cylindrical collapsible mixing vessel (1) comprising: a) a flexible plastic film side wall (3), a top wall (2) and a bottom wall (4), wherein both the top wall and the bottom wall are attached to the side wall and the side, top and bottom walls define an inner volume (5) of the vessel; b) an agitator (6) located in the inner volume and; c) at least one vortex breaker (7) made from flexible plastic film, located in the inner volume and attached to the bottom wall and/or the side wall via string elements (8), wherein said vortex breaker extends along the side wall and inwards in a generally radial direction.