Gas delivery configurations, foam control systems, and bag molding methods and articles for collapsible bag vessels and bioreactors

• US 20080068920A1
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xcellerex, Inc. (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Xcellerex, Inc. (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Fisher, Michael, Hodge, Geoffrey, Galliher, Parrish
• Application Number:
  US11/818,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20080068920A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 366/102
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/44 Mixing of ingredients for microbiology, enzymology, in vitro culture or genetic manipulation
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231 by bubbling mixers with gas or liquid agitation, e.g. with air supply tubes B01F33/40
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/453 using supported or suspended stirring elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/51 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/513 Flexible receptacles, e.g. bags supported by rigid containers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/16 Making multilayered or multicoloured articles B29C45/0062 takes precedence; feeding colouring materials into the injection unit B29C45/1816
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/0633 LDPE, i.e. low density polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7128 Bags, sacks, sachets tea bags B29L2031/7122; medical bags B29L2031/7148
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/02 Local reinforcements or stiffening inserts, e.g. wires, strings, strips or frames B65D33/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/14 Bags
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/06 Nozzles; Sprayers; Spargers; Diffusers per se B01F23/231, B01J19/26
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/02 of foam foam prevention during gasification of liquids B01D19/02

Abstract

Systems for containing and manipulating fluids including systems and methods involving supported collapsible bags that may be used as reactors for performing chemical, biochemical and/or biological reactions contained therein are provided. Generally, a series of improvements and features for fluid containment systems such as gas delivery configurations, foam control systems and bag molding methods and articles for supported collapsible bag vessels and bioreactors are provided. For instance, in one aspect, fluids contained in a vessel can be sparged, e.g., such that a fluid is directed into a container of the vessel, and in some cases, the sparging can be controlled by rapidly activating or altering the degree of sparging as needed. Multiple spargers may be used in some cases. In another aspect, the vessel includes a seamless collapsible bag. In some cases, the collapsible bag may be injected, blown, or spin cast molded. In yet another aspect, the vessel includes a device which can reduce the foam produced or contained within the vessel. Sensors and/or controllers may optionally be used to monitor and/or control foaming.

Claims

1. A vessel configured to contain a volume of liquid, the vessel comprising:

a collapsible bag for containing the volume of liquid, the collapsible bag having a volume of at least 2 liters;

a support structure surrounding and containing the collapsible bag;

a first sparger connected to the collapsible bag, the first sparger being in fluid communication with a source of a first gas composition; and

a second sparger connected to the collapsible bag, the second sparger being in fluid communication with a source of a second gas composition different from the first gas composition.

5. A vessel as in claim 1, wherein the vessel further comprises a mixing system including an impeller and a base plate, wherein the first and/or second spargers is associated with the base plate.

2-4. -4. (canceled)

6-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A vessel configured to contain a volume of liquid, the vessel comprising:

a collapsible bag able to contain the volume of liquid;

a support structure surrounding and containing the collapsible bag;

a first sparger connected to the collapsible bag, the first sparger having a first aperture size, wherein at least a portion of the first sparger is dimensioned to be connected to a source of a first gas; and

a second sparger connected to the collapsible bag, the second sparger having a second aperture size, wherein at least a portion of the second sparger is dimensioned to be connected to a source of a second gas.

20. A vessel as in claim 18, wherein the vessel further comprises a control system operatively associated with the first and second spargers and configured to operate the first and second spargers independently of each other.

19. (canceled)

21-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A vessel configured to contain a volume of liquid comprising:

a container able to contain the volume of liquid; and

a magnetically-driven antifoaming device, at least a portion of which is positioned in a head space of the container when the container contains the volume of liquid, the antifoaming device being configured and arranged to break up foam in the head space during rotation of at least a portion of the antifoaming device.

31. A vessel as in claim 30, wherein the container is a collapsible bag.

32. A vessel as in claim 30, further comprising a reusable support structure surrounding and containing the collapsible bag.

33-34. -34. (canceled)

36-46. -46. (canceled)

48-57. -57. (canceled)

58. A vessel configured to contain a volume of liquid, the vessel comprising:

a collapsible bag able to contain the liquid;

a reusable support structure surrounding and containing the collapsible bag;

a pressure sensor for determining a pressure in the collapsible bag, the pressure sensor in fluid communication with the collapsible bag;

an antifoaming device associated with the collapsible bag and configured to break up foam in the collapsible bag; and

a control system operatively associated with the pressure sensor and the antifoaming device, wherein the control system regulates the antifoaming device upon receipt of a signal from the pressure sensor.

59-63. -63. (canceled)

64. A collapsible bag configured to contain a volume of at least 2 liters, the collapsible bag comprising:

a first rotatable impeller positioned at a bottom portion of the collapsible bag, the first impeller able to be magnetically rotated; and

a second impeller positioned at a top portion of the collapsible bag, the second impeller able to be magnetically rotated.

71. A collapsible bag as in claim 64, wherein the sparger is positioned below a bottom impeller and an outlet is positioned above a top impeller.

65-70. -70. (canceled)

72. A container able to contain a volume of liquid, the container comprising:

a collapsible bag having a volume of at least 40 liters, wherein the collapsible bag does not include any seams joining two or more flexible wall portions of the collapsible bag; and

a reusable support structure surrounding and containing the collapsible bag.

78. A container as in claim 72, wherein the collapsible bag comprises an impeller.

73-77. -77. (canceled)

79. (canceled)

80. A method comprising:

positioning a rigid component in a mold having a shape configured to mold a container having a volume of at least 10 mL;

introducing a first polymer precursor into the mold; and

forming a seamless container within the mold by solidifying the polymer precursor to form the container, wherein the component is incorporated in the container.

81-100. -100. (canceled)

101. A method, comprising:

introducing a first polymer precursor into a mold, the mold having a shape configured to mold a container having a volume of at least 10 mL, the mold further comprising at least one mandrel for forming a functional component of a liquid containment system;

forming a container within the mold;

forming a component within the mold utilizing the mandrel; and

joining the functional component and the container without welding.

102-107. -107. (canceled)

109-111. -111. (canceled)

112. An article comprising:

a collapsible bag comprising a flexible wall portion and a rigid portion comprising a base including a shaft configured to support a magnetic impeller, wherein the rigid portion is embedded with the flexible wall portion.

113-124. -124. (canceled)

125. A method, comprising:

introducing a first polymer precursor into a mold, the mold having a shape configured to mold a collapsible bag having a volume of at least 10 mL and also configured to mold a base including a shaft configured to support a magnetic impeller;

forming a collapsible bag within the mold;

introducing a second polymer precursor into the mold;

forming a component of the mixing system by solidifying the second polymer precursor; and

joining the component of the mixing system and the collapsible bag without welding.

126. A method as in claim 125, wherein the first and second polymers are introduced into the mold simultaneously.

127-133. -133. (canceled)