Tempered Container Assembly for Uniform Hydrogel Crosslinking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes for producing crosslinked hydrogels, particularly those based on hyaluronic acid, face challenges in scaling up due to the formation of undesired solid particles during crosslinking, especially in larger mixing vessels, leading to non-uniform reactions and difficulty in transitioning from laboratory to production scale.
Innovation Solution
A container assembly is used comprising a container body with a tempered inner wall and a container insert with a tempered outer wall, forming a gap of constant width to ensure uniform temperature distribution and homogeneous crosslinking, which includes a scrapper to wipe off residual fluid and maintain process consistency across scales.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the mixing vessel size is increased to scale up production, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to non-uniform temperature distribution and formation of solid particles
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into an inner container and an outer container, creating a segmented structure. The inner container holds the hydrogel mixture while the outer container provides the tempered wall. This segmentation allows the temperature control function to be separated from the mixing function, enabling uniform temperature distribution even in large-scale production vessels.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner container acts as an intermediary between the hydrogel mixture and the tempered outer container wall. This intermediary structure ensures that the mixture is exposed to uniform temperature conditions during crosslinking, preventing the formation of solid particles while allowing large-scale production.
2Productivity
If crosslinking is performed in a large mixing vessel, then productivity is improved, but the formation of solid particles increases due to non-homogeneous crosslinking reactions
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the container into inner and outer parts, the system creates a controlled thermal environment that prevents non-homogeneous crosslinking reactions, thereby eliminating solid particle formation even at large production scales.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the temperature parameter distribution within the mixing vessel by using a tempered outer container. This ensures uniform temperature across the entire volume of the hydrogel mixture, preventing localized over-crosslinking that would otherwise produce solid particles.
3Productivity
If the mixing vessel size is increased, then productivity is improved, but temperature control precision deteriorates leading to non-uniform crosslinking
Solution Approach 1:
The container segmentation allows the outer container to be dedicated to temperature control functions while the inner container holds the mixture. This separation enables precise temperature control even in large-scale vessels, maintaining uniform temperature distribution throughout the hydrogel mixture during crosslinking.
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 process allows for consistent and homogeneous crosslinking reactions, preventing the formation of solid particles, ensuring high-quality hydrogel production at both laboratory and production scales, with improved temperature control and scalability.
Implementation Method 1
the insert outer wall and the body inner wall are separated by a gap of constant width and define a volume for receiving the fluid, wherein crosslinking of the fluid is performed while tempering the insert outer wall and the body inner wall
Data Source
AI summary
A process for producing a composition comprising a crosslinked hydrogel is proposed. The process comprises providing a container body (2), wherein the container body (2) has a body inner wall (21) and a body outer wall (22), wherein the body inner (21) wall is configured to be tempered, filling of a fluid (7) comprising at least a mixture of a polymer and water into the container body (2), and agitating the fluid. For crosslinking of the fluid (7), a container insert (3) is provided, the container insert (3) having an insert outer wall (32) which is configured to be tempered and a container assembly (1) is formed by inserting the container insert (3) into the container body (2) so that the insert outer wall (32) of the container insert (3) and the body inner wall (21) of the container body (2) are separated by a gap (9) of constant width and define a volume (6) for receiving the fluid (7). Crosslinking of the fluid (7) is then performed while tempering the insert outer wall (32) and the body inner wall (21) to form a crosslinked hydrogel.