MIXING SYSTEM WITH CONDENSER

• US 20110207218A1
• Filed: 02/22/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Hyclone Laboratories, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Staheli, Clinton C., Goodwin, Michael E., Jones, Nephi D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,455,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/394
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 47/05 by condensation of the separating agent
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0072 with filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2035/98 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/44 Mixing of ingredients for microbiology, enzymology, in vitro culture or genetic manipulation
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231151 the bubbling devices being fixed or anchored in the bottom
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2312 Diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23125 characterised by the way in which they are assembled or mounted; Fabricating the parts of the diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231262 having disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/233 using driven stirrers with completely immersed stirring elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23362 the gas being introduced under the stirrer
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23761 Aerating, i.e. introducing oxygen containing gas in liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/237611 Air
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/237612 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23762 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23765 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/2121 composed of interconnected parts
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/88 with a separate receptacle-stirrer unit that is adapted to be coupled to a drive mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/90 with paddles or arms
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/91 with propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/146 Working under sterile conditions; Sterilizing the mixer or parts thereof
• 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: B01F 35/92 : for heating the outside of the receptacle, e.g. heated jackets or burners
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/14 : Bags
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/26 : flexible flexible containers for laboratory use B01L3/505
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/34 : Internal compartments or partitions
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/02 : Stirrer or mobile mixing elements
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/00 : Means for introduction, extraction or recirculation of materials, e.g. pumps pumps per se F04B
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/06 : Nozzles; Sprayers; Spargers; Diffusers per se B01F23/231, B01J19/26
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/24 : Recirculation of gas
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 37/00 : Means for sterilizing, maintaining sterile conditions or avoiding chemical or biological contamination C12M23/38 takes precedence; filtration in general and filters per se B01D24/00-B01D41/00; autoclaves B01J3/04; treatment of microorganisms with electrical or wave energy C12N13/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/14 : Incubators; Climatic chambers per se B01L1/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/18 : Heat exchange systems, e.g. heat jackets or outer envelopes
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/10 : Protozoa; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/12 : Unicellular algae; Culture media therefor as new plants A01H13/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/14 : Fungi culture of mushrooms A01G18/00; as new plants A01H15/00; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/20 : Bacteria; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/00 : Undifferentiated human, animal or plant cells, e.g. cell lines; Tissues; Cultivation or maintenance thereof; Culture media therefor; plant reproduction by tissue culture techniques A01H4/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/04 : Plant cells or tissues culture media C12N5/0025
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/10 : Cells modified by introduction of foreign genetic material
• CPC Class Codes: F28B 1/02 : using water or other liquid as the cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0063 : Condensers steam or vapour condensers F28B
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/06 : of plastics material
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/065 : the heat-exchange apparatus employing plate-like or laminated conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2255/02 : Flexible elements
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/12 : Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence

Abstract

A system for mixing a liquid solution or suspension includes a support housing bounding a compartment and a collapsible bag disposed within the compartment. A mixer is disposed within the collapsible bag while a sparger delivers a gas to the lower end of the collapsible bag. A gas outlet line extends from an upper end of the collapsible bag to a condenser assembly. A gas exhaust line and a fluid collection line both extend from the condenser assembly.

Claims

1. A system for mixing a liquid solution or suspension comprising:

a support housing bounding a compartment;

a collapsible bag bounding a chamber, the collapsible bag being disposed within the compartment of the support housing and having an upper end and an opposing lower end, the chamber being adapted to hold a fluid;

a sparger disposed at the lower end of the collapsible bag for delivering a gas into the collapsible bag;

a gas outlet line having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the gas outlet line being fluid coupled with the upper end of the collapsible bag;

a condenser assembly coupled with the second end of the gas outlet line;

a gas exhaust line having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the gas exhaust line being coupled with the condenser assembly; and

a fluid collection line having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the fluid collection line being coupled with the condenser assembly.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

the second end of the fluid collection line being fluid coupled with the collapsible bag; and

a pump being coupled with the fluid collection line.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a gas filter having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the gas filter being coupled with the second end of the gas exhaust line and the outlet of the gas filter being in open communication with the surrounding environment.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the condenser assembly comprises:

a condenser;

a chiller coupled with the condenser for cooling the condenser; and

a condenser bag removably coupled with the condenser, the condenser bag being fluid coupled with the second end of the gas outlet line, the first end of the gas exhaust line, and the first end of the fluid collection line.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the condenser comprises:

a condenser body having a first side face and an opposing second side face, the condenser body bounding a fluid channel extending therein; and

a first door movably mounted on the condenser body, the condenser bag being disposed between the condenser body and the first door so that the condenser bag is positioned adjacent the first side face of the condenser body.

6. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the condenser bag comprises a flexible polymeric bag.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a mixer engaging the collapsible bag, the mixer being configured to mix fluid within the chamber of the collapsible bag.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for mixing fluid within the chamber of the collapsible bag.

9. A system for mixing a liquid solution or suspension comprising:

a container bounding a chamber, a fluid being disposed within the chamber;

a sparger communicating with the container for delivering an initial gas into the chamber of the container so that the initial gas passes through a portion of the fluid to form a humid gas;

a gas outlet line having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end being coupled to the chamber of the container so that the gas outlet line can receive the humid gas formed in the chamber;

a condenser assembly coupled with the second end of the gas outlet line, the condenser assembly being configured to separate the humid gas into a condensed fluid and a dehumidified gas, the condenser assembly comprising;

a condenser;

a chiller coupled with the condenser for cooling the condenser; and

a condenser bag removably coupled with the condenser, the second end of the gas outlet line being fluid coupled to the condenser bag;

a gas exhaust line having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the gas exhaust line being coupled with the condenser bag; and

a fluid collection line having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the fluid collection line being coupled with the condenser bag.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

the second end of the fluid collection line being fluid coupled with the container; and

a pump being coupled with the fluid collection line.

11. The system as recited in claim 9, further comprising a gas filter having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the gas filter being coupled with the second end of the gas exhaust line.

12. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the condenser comprises:

a condenser body having a first side face and an opposing second side face, the condenser body bounding a fluid channel extending therein; and

a first door movably mounted on the condenser body, the condenser bag being disposed between the condenser body and the first door so that the condenser bag is positioned adjacent the first side face of the condenser body.

13. The system as recited in claim 9, further comprising means for mixing the fluid within the chamber of the container.

14. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the fluid comprises a liquid culture containing growing cells or microorganisms.

15. A condenser assembly comprising:

a condenser;

means for cooling the condenser; and

a condenser bag removably coupled with the condenser, the condenser bag bounding a first compartment, the condenser bag having a first gas inlet port, a first gas exhaust port and a first fluid collection port each communication with the first compartment.

16. The condenser assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the condenser bag comprises a flexible polymeric bag.

17. The condenser assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the condenser bag has a front face and an opposing back face that each extend between an upper end and an opposing lower end and between a first side edge and an opposing second side edge, the first gas inlet port being formed on the front face, the first gas exhaust port being formed on the front face at the upper end, and the first fluid collection port being formed on the lower end of the condenser bag.

18. The condenser assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for cooling comprises a chiller that circulates a liquid into and out of the condenser.

19. The condenser assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the condenser comprises:

a condenser body having a first side face and an opposing second side face, the condenser body bounding a channel extending therein and communicating with the means for cooling the condenser; and

a first door movably mounted on the condenser body, at least a portion of the condenser bag being disposed between the condenser body and the first door so that the at least a portion of the condenser bag is positioned adjacent the first side face of the condenser body.

20. The condenser assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein the first side face of the condenser body comprises a thermal conduction portion and an insulated portion, the insulated portion being less thermally conductive than the thermal conduction portion, the first gas exhaust port being disposed over the insulated portion.

21. The condenser assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein the condenser bag bounds a second compartment having a second gas inlet port, a second gas exhaust port and a second fluid collection port each communication with the second compartment.

22. The condenser assembly as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

the condenser bag having a first portion that bounds the first compartment, a second portion that bounds the second compartment, and a support structure extending therebetween;

the first portion of the condenser bag being disposed between the condenser body and the first door so that the first portion of the condenser bag is positioned adjacent to the first side face of the condenser body; and

a second door movably mounted on the condenser body, the second portion of the condenser bag being disposed between the condenser body and the second door so that the second portion of the condenser bag is positioned adjacent to the second side face of the condenser body.

23. The condenser assembly as recited in claim 22, further comprising a spring biased tensioning bar mounted on the condenser body and being disposed against the support structure of the condenser bag.

24. A method for processing a fluid, the method comprising:

sparging a fluid within the compartment of a container with an initial gas so that the initial gas passes through a portion of the fluid to form a humid gas;

drawings the humid gas out of the compartment of the container and into a condenser bag;

cooling the humid gas within the condenser bag so as to separate the humid gas within the condenser bag into a condensed fluid and a dehumidified gas; and

returning the condensed fluid back to the compartment of a container.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising exhausting the dehumidified gas into the surrounding environment through a filter.

26. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the fluid comprises a liquid culture containing growing cells or microorganisms.