METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR HEATING AND MIXING FLUIDS

• US 20120177533A1
• Filed: 01/07/2011
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Hyclone Laboratories, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Woods, Whitt F., Lee, Jacob D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,608,369 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/38
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0023 Heat
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2035/99 Heating
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/22 Mixing of ingredients for pharmaceutical or medical compositions
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/113 Propeller-shaped stirrers for producing an axial flow, e.g. shaped like a ship or aircraft propeller
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/1134 the impeller being of hydrofoil type
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/2121 composed of interconnected parts
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/213 characterised by the connection with the drive
• 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 33/86 Mixing heads comprising a driven stirrer
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2215 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/413 by means of clamps or clamping arrangements for fixing attached stirrers or independent stirrer units
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/451 by rotating them about an axis parallel to the plane of the opening
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/513 Flexible receptacles, e.g. bags supported by rigid containers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/91 using gas or liquid injected into the material, e.g. using liquefied carbon dioxide or steam
• 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 23/38 Caps; Covers; Plugs; Pouring means
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/48 Holding appliances; Racks; Supports holding devices for laboratory apparatus B01L9/00
• 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 41/24 inside the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 47/20 : Heating or cooling heating or cooling apparatus for laboratory uses B01L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/122 : combined with storage tank

Abstract

A fluid heating system includes a tank assembly having an interior surface bounding a chamber, the tank assembly including a sidewall and a lid. A collapsible bag is removably disposed within the chamber of the tank assembly, the collapsible bag bounding a compartment adapted to hold a fluid. A boiler can be used for pumping heated fluid through the wall of the tank assembly for heating the fluid within the collapsible bag. An impeller is disposed within the compartment of the collapsible bag. An elongated drive shaft is removably coupled with the impeller such that rotation of the drive shaft facilitates rotation of the impeller within the compartment of the collapsible bag. A drive motor assembly is coupled with the drive shaft, the drive motor assembly being adapted to rotate the drive shaft when the lid is in an open or closed position.

Claims

1. A fluid heating system comprising:

a tank assembly having an interior surface bounding a chamber, the tank assembly comprising;

a sidewall encircling the chamber and extending between a first end and an opposing second end, the first end bounding an opening to the chamber;

a lid movable between a first position wherein the opening to the chamber is exposed and a second position wherein the lid is disposed over the opening; and

a floor disposed at the second end of the sidewall;

a collapsible bag removably disposed within the chamber of the tank assembly, the collapsible bag bounding a compartment adapted to hold a fluid;

means for controlling the temperature of the fluid within the collapsible bag when the collapsible bag is positioned within chamber of the tank assembly;

an impeller disposed within the compartment of the collapsible bag;

an elongated drive shaft removably coupled with the impeller such that rotation of the drive shaft facilitates rotation of the impeller within the compartment of the collapsible bag; and

a drive motor assembly coupled with the drive shaft, the drive motor assembly being adapted to rotate the drive shaft when the lid is in the first position or the second position.

2. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an opening extending through the sidewall of the tank assembly, the drive motor assembly being disposed within the opening so as to communicate with the chamber of the tank assembly.

3. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a rotational assembly mounted to the collapsible bag, the rotational assembly comprising:

a casing secured to the collapsible bag; and

a hub rotatably mounted to the casing, the hub having a passageway extending therethrough, the drive shaft extending through the passageway of the hub.

4. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 3, further comprising an elongated tubular connector having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end of the connector being connected to the hub and the second end of the connector being secured to the impeller, the drive shaft being disposed within the tubular connector.

5. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for controlling the temperature of the fluid comprise a fluid channel disposed within the lid and the sidewall of the tank assembly.

6. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

a boiler for heating fluid; and

a pump for pumping the heated fluid from the boiler through the fluid channel within the lid and sidewall of the tank assembly.

7. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature port assembly coupled to the collapsible bag, the temperature port assembly bounding a cavity that projects into the compartment of the collapsible bag but is not in fluid communication with the compartment; and

a temperature probe positioned with the cavity of the temperature port assembly.

8. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a support extending between the tank assembly and the temperature port assembly, the support supporting the temperature port assembly within the chamber of the tank assembly at a distance from the sidewall.

9. A fluid heating system comprising:

a tank assembly having an interior surface bounding a chamber, the tank assembly comprising;

a sidewall encircling the chamber and extending between a first end and an opposing second end, the first end bounding an opening to the chamber;

a lid movable between a first position wherein the opening to the chamber is exposed and a second position wherein the lid is disposed over the opening; and

a floor disposed at the second end of the sidewall;

a collapsible bag removably disposed within the chamber of the tank assembly, the collapsible bag bounding a compartment adapted to hold a fluid;

a temperature port assembly coupled to the collapsible bag, the temperature port assembly bounding a cavity that projects into the compartment of the collapsible bag but is not in fluid communication with the compartment;

a temperature probe positioned with the cavity of the temperature port assembly; and

a support extending between the tank assembly and the temperature port assembly, the support supporting the temperature port assembly within the chamber of the tank assembly at a distance from the sidewall.

10. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 9, further comprising means for controlling the temperature of the fluid within the collapsible bag when the collapsible bag is positioned within chamber of the tank assembly.

11. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 10, wherein the means for controlling the temperature of the fluid comprises:

a fluid channel disposed within the lid and the sidewall of the tank assembly;

a boiler for heating fluid; and

a pump for pumping the heated fluid from the boiler through the fluid channel within the lid and sidewall of the tank assembly.

12. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 9, further comprising means for mixing the fluid within the collapsible bag when the collapsible bag is disposed within the chamber of the tank assembly.

13. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 9, wherein the temperature port assembly comprises:

a port secured to the flexible bag; and

a probe adapter secured to the port, the probe adapter comprising;

a tubular sleeve received over the port;

a mounting flange radially outwardly projecting from the sleeve; and

a receiver coupled to the sleeve and projecting down through the sleeve, the receiver bounding the cavity of the temperature port assembly.

14. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 13, wherein the support comprises:

a flange mounted to the sidewall of the tank assembly and projecting into the chamber; and

a retainer disposed at an end of the flange, the probe adapter being supported on the retainer.

15. The fluid heating system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a clamp removably securing the probe adapter to the retainer.

16. A method for inactivating a fluid culture, the method comprising:

inserting a collapsible bag within a chamber of a tank assembly;

dispensing a fluid into a compartment of the collapsible bag, the fluid comprising a culture containing live cells or microorganisms;

positioning a lid over an opening of the tank assembly so that the collapsible bag is substantially enclosed within the tank assembly;

heating the fluid within the collapsible bag to an inactivation temperature that is sufficiently high to kill all of the live cells or microorganisms within the fluid; and

mixing the fluid within the flexible bag while the fluid is being heated to the inactivation temperature.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising an elongated fluid line having a first end fluid coupled with the collapsible bag and an opposing second end that is freely disposed, the method further comprising inserting the freely disposed second end of the fluid line into the chamber of tank assembly so that the second end is substantially enclosed within the chamber during heating of the fluid within the collapsible bag.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of heating the fluid comprises pumping a heated fluid through a sidewall and the lid of the tank assembly.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of mixing comprises:

advancing a drive shaft through drive motor assembly, through a hub rotatably mounted on the collapsible bag, and into an elongated tubular connector coupled with the hub, an impeller being coupled with the tubular connector; and

activating the drive motor assembly so that the drive motor assembly rotates the drive shaft which in turn rotates the impeller within the compartment of the collapsible bag.