Integrated bio-reactor monitor and control system

• US 7,435,581 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: New England Controls, Inc. (Enerpac Tool Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Broadley James Corporation
• Inventors: West, Larry Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Beisner; William H
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOWERS, NATHAN ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US10/723,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20050112542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• Field of Search: 435/286.1, 435/289.1, 435/3, 366/102, 239/66, 700/87, 700/266, 700/17, 700/9, 719/331
• US Class Current: 435/289.1
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/48 Automatic or computerized control automatic analysis G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 3/00 Condition responsive control processes apparatus therefor C12M1/36; controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25425 Personal computer
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 21/02 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically controlling conditions of a process are disclosed. In one example, a controller is programmed with a sequence of steps and parameters required to carry out a bioreactor process. The controller receives information related to a condition of the process over a first communication network, determines a control signal based on the received information and the programmed process, and sends the control signal over a second communication network to a benchtop utility tower. In one example, the utility tower can include transmitters for temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen that send information related to a condition of the process to the controller over the first communication network, and an agitation system, a gas control system, a temperature control system and a pump control system that perform a control action based on the control signal affecting the process condition. The utility tower can include a computer with a human-machine interface that communicates with the controller over a third communication network.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a bioreactor process, comprising:

a communication system comprising a first communication network, and a second communication network;

a controller configured with a bioreactor control process to receive information related to a condition in a bioreactor over said first communication network, to control the conditions in a bioreactor by determining control signals based on the bioreactor control process and information received related to a condition in the bioreactor, and to send the control signals over said communication system to a utility tower over said second communication network; and

a utility tower, housed separately from the bioreactor and coupled to said controller via said communication system, configured to receive the control signals from the controller over the second communication network and to change a condition in the bioreactor based on the control signals, said utility tower comprising

a monitoring system that transmits information related to a condition of the bioreactor to said controller via said first communication network,

a bioreactor supply system which supplies a substance to the bioreactor in response to a control signal received from said controller, and

an agitation system which agitates the solution in the bioreactor in response to a control signal received from said controller.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said utility tower further comprises a temperature control system which changes the temperature of media in the bioreactor in response to a control signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said bioreactor supply system comprises a gas control system that provides a gas to the bioreactor, and a pump control system that provides a fluid to the bioreactor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said monitoring system comprises transmitters for sending information related to conditions in said bioreactor to said controller.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said transmitters comprise:

a temperature transmitter for sending information related to a temperature condition of the bioreactor to said controller;

a pH transmitter for sending information related to a pH condition of the bioreactor to said controller; and

a dissolved oxygen transmitter for sending information related to a dissolved oxygen condition of the bioreactor to said controller.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication system further comprises a third communication network, and wherein said utility tower further comprises a computer configured to receive information from a user and send the user information to said controller over said third communication network and wherein said controller receives the user information and determines a control signal based on the user information, and sends said control signal based on said user information to said utility tower over said second communication network.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising an input device to enter the user information into said computer.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising an agitation unit connected to said utility tower, wherein said agitation unit provides agitation to said bioreactor based on the agitation control signal received from said agitation system.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second utility tower, coupled to said controller via said communication system, configured to receive a second control signal and provide support to a second bioreactor based on the second control signal, comprising

a monitoring system that transmits information related to a condition of the second bioreactor to said controller via said communication system,

a bioreactor supply system which provides a substance to the second bioreactor based on the second control signal, and

an agitation system which sends an agitation control signal to the second bioreactor based on the second control signal; and

wherein said controller is configured to receive information related to a condition in the second bioreactor, determine the second control signal based on a second desired bioreactor process and the received information and send the second control signal over said communication system to said second utility tower.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said first communication network comprises a FOUNDATION®

fieldbus, said second communication network comprises a DeviceNet bus, and said third communication network comprises an Ethernet bus.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein the temperature control system comprises a cold finger.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein the temperature control system comprises a water bath.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein the temperature control system comprises a heating pad.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the computer comprises a display screen, and wherein said system is configured to show a graphical representation of said system on said display screen.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said display screen comprises a touch-screen.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the bioreactor process is cell culture growth.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the bioreactor process is microbial fermentation.

18. The system of claim 3, wherein said gas control system is housed within the utility tower.

19. The system of claim 3, wherein said pump control system is housed within the utility tower.

20. The system of claim 6, wherein said computer is housed within the utility tower.

21. A system for monitoring and controlling a process in a controlled chamber, the process comprising a sequence of steps and at least one parameter relating to a condition of the process, comprising:

a communication system comprising a first communication network and a second communication network;

a controller configured with a chamber control process, and said controller configured to receive information related to a condition in the chamber over the first communication network, and to control the chamber process by determining a control action required to carry out the process based on the chamber control process and the received information, to generate a control signal corresponding to the control action, and to send the control signal over said communication system over the second communication network; and

a utility tower, housed separately from the chamber and coupled to said controller via said communication system, configured to provide information related to a condition in the chamber to said controller via said communication system, to receive the control signal from said controller and to change a condition of the chamber based on the control signal, said utility tower comprising

a monitoring system that transmits information related to a condition of the chamber to said controller via said communication system,

a temperature control system which changes the temperature of the chamber in response to a control signal, and

a chamber supply system which supplies a substance to the bioreactor in response to the control signal.