Liquid Feed Device for Cell Culture Using Segmented Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cell culture devices using pumps for liquid feed can cause excessive stress on cells or biological samples due to pressure changes during the feeding process, which is a concern in automated cell culture systems aiming to reduce biological contamination and labor costs.
Innovation Solution
A liquid feed device configuration with a first and second liquid containing unit, a pump, and supply pipes that minimize the influence of pressure changes by using a gas phase for feeding liquids from the second unit downstream of the pump and liquids from the first unit upstream of the pump, allowing for controlled and quantitative feeding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a pump is used for liquid feed in automated cell culture devices, then automation and quantitative control are achieved, but excessive stress load occurs on cells or biological samples due to pressure changes
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid feed system is segmented into two separate containing units: a first liquid containing unit for media that can withstand pressure changes, and a second liquid containing unit for cell suspensions that are sensitive to pressure changes. This segmentation allows each liquid type to be fed through appropriate pathways, protecting sensitive cell suspensions from pump-induced stress while maintaining automation.
Solution Approach 2:
A receptacle is introduced as an intermediary component between the pump and the culture container. The receptacle receives pressurized feed liquid from the pump and then allows gentle transfer to the culture container, acting as a buffer that decouples the high-pressure pump operation from the sensitive cell suspension, thereby reducing stress on biological samples.
2Ease of operation
If manual cell culture operations are performed, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but labor cost and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The automated cell culture device integrates multiple functions into a single system: liquid feeding, culture maintenance, and sample collection. The pump system can handle different liquid types (media and cell suspensions) through the segmented containing units, providing universal automated operation that replaces various manual tasks while maintaining operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service automated operation where the device performs liquid feeding and culture maintenance without requiring continuous manual intervention. The segmented containing units with their respective supply pipes allow the system to autonomously manage different liquid types, freeing operators from repetitive manual tasks while maintaining adaptability through programmable control.
3Reliability
If mechanized dispensers are used in sterile environment, then biological contamination risk is reduced, but device size increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and separates the functions of handling different liquid types into distinct containing units positioned outside the main culture chamber. The first and second liquid containing units can be positioned in accessible locations, reducing the footprint within the sterile culture environment while maintaining contamination prevention through controlled liquid transfer pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The receptacle is positioned within or adjacent to the culture container assembly, creating a nested arrangement where the receptacle serves as an intermediate chamber. This nesting approach minimizes the overall device footprint by efficiently utilizing space within the sterile environment while maintaining the necessary separation between pump components and culture samples.
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 configuration reduces the stress on cells or biological samples during liquid feed by using pressure propagation via a gas phase for less susceptible liquids and ensures accurate, repetitive feeding, mitigating damage from pressure changes and enhancing the reliability of automated cell culture processes.
Implementation Method 1
a pump connected between a first liquid containing unit and a second liquid containing unit; a first supply pipe that supplies the first liquid to the receptacle through the pump
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid feed device that feeds a liquid medium and a cell suspension to target containers by respectively suited liquid feed methods is provided. A pump 6 is connected between a first liquid bottle 12 containing a liquid medium and a second liquid bottle 2 containing a cell suspension, and a receptacle 8 to be used as a culture container is connected downstream of a second liquid bottle 12. The liquid medium in the first liquid bottle is sent to the receptacle through the pump 6 and a branch point 20 by opening a first supply valve 17, and the cell suspension in the second liquid bottle is sent to the receptacle by opening a first gas introducing valve 10, a second gas introducing valve 15, and a second supply valve 19 and transferring, by pressure, a gas supplied from the first gas introducing valve 10 to the second liquid bottle through the pump 6 and a branch point 16.