Method and apparatus for continuous automated perfusion system harvesting from in-situ filtration probe
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring flow, the method comprising:
- setting an interval during which a pump is run to introduce a flow of sterile media into a reactor;
running the pump to introduce the flow of sterile media into the reactor;
introducing an amount of air into the flow of sterile media flowing into the reactor;
sensing, with a first sensor, a first time when a lead line of the flow of sterile media following the amount of air reaches the first sensor;
sensing, with a second sensor, a second time when the lead line of the flow of sterile media reaches the second sensor;
using the first time and the second time to determine a flow rate for the flow of sterile media; and
adjusting the interval during which the pump is run based on the determined flow rate for the flow of sterile media.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining fluid flow (e.g., sterile media flow, filtrate flow, etc.) through tubing is provided. The apparatus includes an air source, a flow valve, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a media tubing section extending between the first sensor and the second sensor. In operation, air from the air source is introduced by the flow valve into a fluid flow to create a lead line of fluid immediately following the introduced air. As the lead line of fluid passes each sensor, the sensors are used to determine a time between when the lead line passes the first sensor and the second sensor and that determined elapsed time is used, along with a determined volume of the media tubing section to determine the rate of flow of the fluid flow.
42 Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A method for monitoring flow, the method comprising:
-
setting an interval during which a pump is run to introduce a flow of sterile media into a reactor; running the pump to introduce the flow of sterile media into the reactor; introducing an amount of air into the flow of sterile media flowing into the reactor; sensing, with a first sensor, a first time when a lead line of the flow of sterile media following the amount of air reaches the first sensor; sensing, with a second sensor, a second time when the lead line of the flow of sterile media reaches the second sensor; using the first time and the second time to determine a flow rate for the flow of sterile media; and adjusting the interval during which the pump is run based on the determined flow rate for the flow of sterile media. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A method for monitoring flow, the method comprising:
-
running a pump to provide a media flow from a reactor into a tubing; introducing an amount of air into the media flow; sensing, with a first sensor, a first time when a lead line of the media flow in the tubing following the amount of air reaches the first sensor; sensing, with a second sensor, a second time when the lead line of the media flow in the tubing reaches the second sensor; using the first time and the second time to determine a flow rate for the media flow; and calibrating, recalibrating or controlling the pump based on the determined flow rate for the media flow from the reactor into tubing and a predefined flow rate of media flow from the reactor into tubing. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for monitoring flow, the method comprising:
-
introducing an amount of air into a fluid flow; sensing, with a first sensor, a first time when a lead line of the fluid flow following the amount of air reaches the first sensor; sensing, with a second sensor, a second time when the lead line of the fluid flow reaches the second sensor; and using the first time and the second time to determine a flow rate for the fluid flow; introducing an amount of air into a filtrate flow in filtrate tubing running from the reactor; sensing, with a third sensor, a third time when a lead line of the filtrate flow following the amount of air introduced in the filtrate tubing in reaches the third sensor; sensing, with a fourth sensor, a fourth time when the lead line of the filtrate flow following the amount of air introduced in the filtrate tubing in reaches the fourth sensor; and using the third time and the fourth time to determine a flow rate for the filtrate flow in the filtrate tubing. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
-
Specification