Apparatus for mass transfer involving biological/pharmaceutical media
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1. A mass transfer apparatus comprising:
- (a) a first pump having discharge and inlet ports;
(b) means defining an elongated mass transfer chamber having first and second opposite ends with at least one mass transfer surface element in said chamber having first and second sides defining respective first and second passages, said first passage(s) on said first side of said element(s) communicating with said first and second ends for flow of a first medium through said first passage(s) in mass transfer relationship with a second medium in said second passage(s) on said second side of said element(s);
(c) a reservoir having inlet and outlet ports;
(d) means for alternatingly switching the direction of flow of said first medium through said first passage(s), between a first mode in which said flow of said first medium is from the first end through said first passage(s) to the second end, and a second mode in which said flow of said first medium is from the second end through said first passage(s) to the first end, including switchable flow control means comprising flow ports designated A, B, C, and D, for connecting;
(1) in a first configuration, port A in flow communication with port B, and port C in flow communication with port D; and
(2) in a second configuration, port A in flow communication with port D, and port B in flow communication with port C; and
(e) conduits connecting the pump discharge port to said port C, the pump inlet to the reservoir outlet port, the reservoir inlet port to the port A, the chamber first end to the port B and the chamber second end to the port D.
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Abstract
A mass transfer apparatus and method is based upon use of a mass transfer chamber, such as a hollow fiber membrane bioreactor, with means to change the directional flow therethrough for enhancement of the mass transfer operation. The invention has particular utility in cell growth systems, where the periodic reversal of flow direction of a nutrient stream passed through the bioreactor equalizes dispersion of cell growth through the bioreactor and enhances the transport of metabolic waste from the cells being grown.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A mass transfer apparatus comprising:
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(a) a first pump having discharge and inlet ports; (b) means defining an elongated mass transfer chamber having first and second opposite ends with at least one mass transfer surface element in said chamber having first and second sides defining respective first and second passages, said first passage(s) on said first side of said element(s) communicating with said first and second ends for flow of a first medium through said first passage(s) in mass transfer relationship with a second medium in said second passage(s) on said second side of said element(s); (c) a reservoir having inlet and outlet ports; (d) means for alternatingly switching the direction of flow of said first medium through said first passage(s), between a first mode in which said flow of said first medium is from the first end through said first passage(s) to the second end, and a second mode in which said flow of said first medium is from the second end through said first passage(s) to the first end, including switchable flow control means comprising flow ports designated A, B, C, and D, for connecting; (1) in a first configuration, port A in flow communication with port B, and port C in flow communication with port D; and (2) in a second configuration, port A in flow communication with port D, and port B in flow communication with port C; and (e) conduits connecting the pump discharge port to said port C, the pump inlet to the reservoir outlet port, the reservoir inlet port to the port A, the chamber first end to the port B and the chamber second end to the port D. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification