Bio-reactor for the cultivation of micro-organisms and method for the production thereof

• US 20040048364A1
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subitec Gmbh
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Inventors: Trosch, Walter
• Granted Patent: US 7,374,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/292.1
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/06 Tubular C12M23/08, C12M23/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/26 flexible flexible containers for laboratory use B01L3/505
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/20 Baffles; Ribs; Ribbons; Auger vanes

Abstract

The invention relates to a bioreactor for cultivating microorganisms, as well as a method for its production. The invention is characterized in that the bioreactor (1) comprises two identically constructed base elements (2,3) that are constructed in trough shape and consist of a bottom part (4) and four side parts (5) arranged on a bottom part (4) and having an inside depth T₁. The base element (2,3) consists of a light permeable material. The identically constructed base elements (2,3) are arranged on each other so as to exactly cover each other. A flow guide device is arranged inside the identically constructed base elements (2,3).

Claims

1. Bioreactor for cultivating microorganisms, with a light permeable housing (2,3), through which gas bubbles formed by gas introduction flow in a flow direction and in which a flow guide device (10) is arranged, characterized in that the flow guide device comprises at least two septa (10) arranged transversely to the flow direction.

2. Bioreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that the septa (10) are constructed and arranged inside the housing (2,3) in such a way that an essentially meander-shaped flow path for the gas bubbles is obtained between the septa (10) inside the housing (2,3) and the fluid between the septa (10) moves in a revolving shape.

3. Bioreactor according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the septa (10) are constructed and arranged in the housing (2,3) in such a way that they limit the flow cross-section in each case to only a gap (12), whereby the gaps (12) defined by the septa are arranged so as to alternate on opposing side walls (6) of the housing (2,3).

4. Bioreactor according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the septa (10) are interconnected by at least one support element (2,3).

5. Bioreactor according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the housing comprises two identically constructed base elements (2,3), whereby the base element (2,3) is constructed trough-like from a bottom part (4) and four side parts (5) arranged on the bottom part (4) and having an inside depth T₁, whereby the identically constructed base elements (2,3) are arranged on each other so as to exactly cover each other.

6. Bioreactor according to claim 4, characterized in that the flow guide device comprises at least one septum (10), through which two side parts (5), called longitudinal side parts (6), which are arranged parallel, opposite from each other at a right angle to the septum (10), are interconnected in such a way that in the trough-like base element (2,3) several chambers (11) that are open on the side facing away from the associated bottom part (4) are formed, whereby the at least one septum (10) has a septum depth (T₂) that is smaller than or equal to the inside depth (T) of the reactor (1) and greater than half of the inside depth (T) of the reactor (1), whereby the distances (D) between the individual septa (10) are equal and the distance (D₁) between a side part (5) called the first transverse side part (13) and a consecutive septum (14) do not equal the distance (D₂) between a side part (5) called the second transverse side part (16) and a consecutive septum (15) or an integer multiple of it, whereby the identically constructed base elements with their chamber openings (11) are arranged opposite each other in such a way on top of each other that the distance (D₂) overlaps the first distance (D₁).

7. Bioreactor according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the light-permeable material of the base elements (2,3) is a flexible foil, preferably of plastic.

8. Bioreactor according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the base element (2,3) is provided in longitudinal direction with at least one reinforcement (35).

9. Bioreactor according to claim 8, characterized in that the reinforcement is formed by several U-shaped bearing elements (35), which are individually connected with two adjoining septa (31,32) and in between with the bottom part (4) of the associated base element (3), whereby the first and second transverse side part each are also connected via a U-shaped bearing element with the following septum.

10. Bioreactor according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the wall thickness of the septa (10) increases towards the bottom part of the associated base element.

11. Bioreactor according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that both of its base elements (2,3) are provided on the edges (8) of their side parts (5) that are at a distance to the bottom part (4) with a collar (9) projecting essentially at a right angle outward.

12. Bioreactor according to one of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that the wall thickness of the side parts (5) of the base element (2) or (3) is greater than the wall thickness of the septa (10) of base element (2,3).

13. Bioreactor according to one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that the two base elements (2,3) are glued to each other or welded to each other via ultrasound at the respective outward-projecting collar (9) of the edge (8), located at a distance from the bottom part, of the side parts (5) of the base element (2,3).

14. Bioreactor according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the reactor space formed by both base elements (2,3) has a surface enlargement greater than a straight-surfaced enveloping surface of its volume.

15. Bioreactor according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that it has devices for a turbulent flow configuration.

16. Bioreactor according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that it has elements that guide the light from outside into the reactor space.

17. Bioreactor according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that it has connections and connecting lines for supplying and/or removing gases and/or fluids.

18. Bioreactor according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the connecting lines can be cooled and/or heated.

20. Method for producing a bioreactor, in particular according to claims 1 to 19, wherein in a first step a strand from a light-permeable material is produced, said strand comprising a plurality of directly adjoining, serially arranged base elements (2,3) according to the preceding claims, whereby the base elements (2,3) are arranged behind each other in each case in orientation (D₂) of one base element (2) or (3) followed by (D₁) of another base element (2) or (3), wherein, in a second step, the strand is divided into the individual base elements (2,3), and wherein, in a third step, two each consecutive base elements (2,3) are arranged on top of each other by folding over a second base element onto a first base element (2,3) in the manner described in claim 1.

21. Method according to claim 16, wherein the two base elements (2,3) are glued to each other or welded to each other via ultrasound at the respective outward-projecting collar (9) of the edge (8), located at a distance from the bottom part (4), of the side parts (5) of the base element (2) or (3).

22. Method according to one of claims 16 or 17, wherein the strand is produced by injection molding.

23. Method for cultivating microorganisms, wherein these are introduced into a bioreactor according to one of claims 1 to 19 that has been filled with a fluid and are cultivated therein under suitable conditions.

24. Method according to claim 23, wherein the cultivation is performed with introduction of gas.

25. Method according to one of claims 23 or 24, wherein the cultivation is performed with addition of CO₂.

26. Method according to one of claims 23 to 25, wherein the cultivation takes place with cooling.

19. Bioreactor according to one of the previous methods [sic], characterized in that it is part of a system of several individual bioreactors that are arranged serially on the fluid side.