Virtual Bioreactor Transmitters for Lower-Cost Process Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bioprocess control systems for bioreactors are costly and complex, with redundant components that increase costs and reduce accessibility, particularly for small biotech manufacturing organizations, due to the need for proprietary interfaces and limited accessibility to diagnostic information from sensors.
Innovation Solution
A virtual bioreactor monitoring and control system that uses software-based 'virtual' transmitters, eliminating the need for physical transmitters and their packaging, by utilizing electronic cards with equivalent functionality and a digital bus protocol, allowing for a user-friendly interface through the HMI that mimics physical transmitters, reducing hardware costs and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If physical transmitters with proprietary interfaces are used, then diagnostic information accessibility is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a virtual transmitter that creates a software-based copy of the physical transmitter's functionality. The virtual transmitter replicates all diagnostic information and interface capabilities in the digital domain, eliminating the need for physical access to proprietary transmitter interfaces while maintaining complete accessibility to all sensor data and diagnostic information through standard digital communication protocols.
2Reliability
If physical transmitters with packaging are used, then component protection is improved, but hardware cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical transmitter system with its virtual software equivalent. Instead of using physical transmitters with protective packaging, the system uses a virtual transmitter implemented as software on the electronic card, which eliminates all physical packaging requirements while maintaining or enhancing reliability through digital immutability and software-based protection mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If sophisticated digital systems are used, then process control capability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal electronic card and virtual transmitter platform that can interface with multiple different sensor types and communicate with various control systems through standard digital protocols. This multi-functional approach provides sophisticated process control capabilities across different applications without requiring separate proprietary systems for each sensor or controller, thereby reducing overall cost while maintaining versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
The present set of embodiments relate to an environmental condition monitoring and control system employing a software based virtual transmitter for a bioreactor or mixer. The system includes a probe for measuring a condition in a bioreactor that can generate a signal. Measured conditions may include pH, DO, temperature, and pressure. The signal can travel to an electronic card capable of converting the signal from analog to digital and the card can then send the converted signal to a digital controller. The condition monitoring and control system eliminates hardware redundancies and increases versatility by then displaying the converted signal in a software-based virtual transmitter on a non-dedicated human machine interface.