Stacked Bioreactor Manifold Flow Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing biological products, such as platelets, face challenges in achieving clinically relevant yields efficiently, while avoiding the risks and costs associated with donor harvesting and storage.
Innovation Solution
The development of a system comprising stacked bioreactors with specific fluidic configurations, including microchannels and manifolds, that ensure equal pressure drop and flow rates across each bioreactor, allowing for the generation of physiological shear rates to induce biological source materials to produce target products like platelets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional donor harvesting and storage methods are used, then biological products can be obtained, but the process is associated with risks and costs and does not achieve clinically relevant yields efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the biological product production process into multiple independent bioreactor units (first bioreactor, second bioreactor, etc.), each capable of independently producing biological products. This segmentation allows for scalable production while maintaining controlled conditions in each unit, thereby achieving clinically relevant yields without the risks associated with traditional single-donor harvesting methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces culture medium as an intermediary substance that enables the in vitro production of biological products from stem cells or other precursor cells. This intermediary medium provides necessary nutrients and growth factors, allowing biological products to be generated without direct donor harvesting, thus eliminating associated risks while maintaining clinical relevance.
2Productivity
If multiple bioreactors are stacked to increase production capacity, then productivity improves, but flow distribution uniformity becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold system is designed to create equipotential flow distribution across all bioreactors in the stack. By configuring the manifold with equal path lengths and resistance characteristics to each bioreactor, the system ensures that flow is distributed uniformly to all units, maintaining manufacturing precision even as productivity increases through stacking multiple bioreactors.
Solution Approach 2:
The manifold serves multiple functions simultaneously: it distributes culture medium to all bioreactors, collects effluent from all bioreactors, and maintains equal flow distribution across all units. This multi-functionality allows the single manifold structure to support increased productivity through multiple bioreactors while maintaining flow uniformity.
3Productivity
If recirculating flow system is implemented, then biological source material activation is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the inlet and outlet functions into a single manifold structure that serves both purposes. The manifold simultaneously distributes fresh culture medium to all bioreactors and collects effluent from all bioreactors, then returns it to a common reservoir. This merging reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining the beneficial recirculating flow for biological source material activation.
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 approach enables efficient and scalable production of biological products, reducing costs and risks associated with traditional methods by ensuring uniform distribution and activation of biological source materials, leading to higher yields and clinical relevance.
Implementation Method 1
a separation barrier having a plurality of microchannels forming a fluid communication path between the first and second channels
Implementation Method 2
generate physiological shear rates along a surface of the membrane in the second channel to induce the biological source material captured by the membrane to produce the target biological products
Data Source
AI summary
The instant disclosure provides a system comprising a plurality of stacked bioreactors, wherein the system is configured to provide a substantially equal flow rate of fluid and pressure drop through each of the plurality of bioreactors. In some embodiments, the flow of the fluid through each of the plurality of bioreactors is configured to generate physiological shear rates to induce a biological source material in the bioreactors to produce target biological products.