Inert Gas Purging for Sensitive Material Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pharmaceutical and biotech industries face challenges in storing sensitive materials, particularly biotechnological samples, due to their instability and sensitivity to contamination from dust, heat, light, oxygen, and moisture, which existing storage methods fail to adequately address.

Innovation Solution

A system of portable containers with inlet and exhaust ports, equipped with a gas analysis and monitoring apparatus that injects inert gas under pressure to create a controlled environment, preventing contamination and maintaining a stable atmosphere by monitoring and adjusting gas composition to ensure the materials are stored in a sealed, non-interactive environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional storage methods are used for sensitive materials, then the materials are stored in ambient atmosphere, but the materials are exposed to contamination from dust, oxygen, and moisture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from contaminationVSAvoidexposure to dust, oxygen, moisture

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies inert atmosphere by purging the container interior with nitrogen or argon gas to displace ambient air. The inert gas creates a protective environment that prevents oxidation and moisture contamination of sensitive materials while maintaining atmospheric pressure, thus resolving the contradiction between protection reliability and exposure to harmful factors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

2Reliability

If the container is sealed hermetically, then the materials are protected from external contamination, but any leakage transfers material from inside to outside rather than preventing ingress

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal integrityVSAvoidmaterial loss through leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

By maintaining the container interior at positive pressure with inert gas, the patent ensures that any potential leakage through the seal transfers inert gas outward rather than allowing ambient contaminants inward. This resolves the contradiction by making the seal more reliable for preventing contamination while minimizing material loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

3Reliability

If purge gas is injected into the container, then the atmosphere is replaced and materials are protected, but the pressurisation may cause seal failure or container bulging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveatmosphere controlVSAvoidseal and container integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent carefully controls the parameters of gas injection, including flow rate and total volume, to achieve atmosphere replacement without excessive pressurisation. By monitoring and adjusting these parameters, the system maintains protective atmosphere control while preventing seal failure or container bulging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Loss of substance

If the container is pressurised to offset leakage effects, then material loss is reduced, but the risk of seal failure and container deformation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial loss preventionVSAvoidseal and container stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the pressure parameter to a moderate positive level that is sufficient to prevent material loss through leakage but low enough to avoid seal failure or container deformation. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between material loss prevention and structural reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 system effectively maintains a controlled atmosphere within the containers, preventing contamination and ensuring the stability of sensitive materials by using inert gases like nitrogen or argon to offset the adverse effects of leakage and environmental exposure, thus protecting the samples from moisture and oxygen.

Implementation Method 1

inject an inert gas under pressure into the interior of the container via the inlet port

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas displacement:

Implementation Method 2

preserve and store such materials even though the sensitive materials are already in solution, in a controlled non-interactive environment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInert atmosphere protection:

Implementation Method 3

inject sufficient purge gas into the container to leave the container pressurised to assist in offsetting the adverse effect of any leakage of the seal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS7878112B2Apparatus and methods for storing sensitive materials

Publication Date: 2011.02.01 ROYLAN DEV

AI summary

Apparatus is described for storing sensitive materials in containers (32) which are sealed and in which the internal atmosphere may be purged by flushing with an inert gas fed in from a purger unit (30) via a suitable feed lead (35). The gas exhausted from inside the container (32) is fed back into the purge unit (30) and then checked against a desired parameter, for example oxygen concentration, until the value of that parameter reaches a desired level. Purging may then be stopped and the container left sealed, preferably at a slight over pressure relative to the ambient atmosphere. The use of a separate purge unit enables many containers to be sequentially and effectively processed. The containers are particularly useful for storing sensitive chemical and biological samples.