Microreactor

• US 7,485,454 B1
• Filed: 11/07/2000
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BioProcessors Corp.
• Original Assignee: BioProcessors Corp.
• Inventors: Angelino, Mark D., Jury, Andrey Zarur
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding; David A
• Application Number:
  US09/707,852
• Time in Patent Office: 3,010 Days
• Field of Search: 422/129, 422/131, 422/101, 422/102, 435/286.7, 435/287.2, 435/288.5, 435/288.6, 435/289.1, 435/294.1, 435/297.1, 435/297.5, 204/403, 204/600, 204/601
• US Class Current: 435/288.5
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/23 Mixing by intersecting jets
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4317 Profiled elements, e.g. profiled blades, bars, pillars, columns or chevrons
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/433 Mixing tubes wherein the shape of the tube influences the mixing, e.g. mixing tubes with varying cross-section or provided with inwardly extending profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4331 Mixers with bended, curved, coiled, wounded mixing tubes or comprising elements for bending the flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3017 Mixing chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/304 the mixing being performed in a mixing chamber where the products are brought into contact
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/561 the mixer being built-up from a plurality of modules or stacked plates comprising complete or partial elements of the mixer
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00783 Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00828 Silicon wafers or plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00835 Comprising catalytically active material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00862 Dimensions of the reaction cavity itself
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00871 Modular assembly
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00873 Heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00889 Mixing micromixers B01F33/30
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00907 using membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00957 Compositions or concentrations
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00961 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00963 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00966 pH
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/16 : Microfluidic devices; Capillary tubes integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; microreactors B01J19/0093

Abstract

Chemical and biological reactors, including microreactors, are provided. Exemplary reactors include a plurality of reactors operable in parallel, where each reactor has a small volume and, together, the reactors produce a large volume of product. Reaction systems can include mixing chambers, heating/dispersion units, reaction chambers, and separation units. Components of the reactors can be readily formed from a variety of materials. For example, they can be etched from silicon. Components are connectable to and separable from each other to form a variety of types of reactors, and the reactors can be attachable to and separable from each other to add significant flexibility in parallel and/or series reactor operation.

Claims

1. A system for maintaining and cultivating cells in culture and obtaining a protein resulting from interaction of the cells with oxygen and/or nutrients and/or other components, comprising:

a small-scale chemical or biochemical reactor comprising a plastic substrate comprising at least one reaction unit, the reactor comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid pathway connecting the inlet and the outlet, the fluid pathway comprising a chamber having a surface suitable for cell growth and a volume of less than about 1 ml, the chamber being constructed and arranged to maintain and cultivate cells in culture, the chamber further comprising an inlet fluidly connectable to a source of nutrients for the cells having a controlled pH, and an outlet for release of the protein resulting from the interaction involving the cells in the chamber;

a membrane defining at least one wall of the fluid pathway;

an enclosure positioned proximate the membrane, wherein at least one product of the interaction involving cells in the chamber passes across the membrane into the enclosure;

the reactor further comprising a pH sensor.

3. A system as in claim 1, further comprising means for controlling the temperature of the chamber to maintain a temperature suitable for cultivating cells to generate the protein resulting from interaction of the cells with oxygen and/or nutrients and/or other components.

4. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a mixing unit fluidly connectable to the inlet of the chamber, the mixing unit including an outlet connectable to the inlet of the chamber, a plurality of inlets each in fluid communication with the outlet and a mixing chamber between plurality of inlets and of the outlet.

5. A system as in claim 4, wherein the mixing chamber is free of active mixing elements.

2. A system for maintaining and cultivating cells in culture and obtaining a protein resulting from interaction of the cells with oxygen and/or nutrients and/or other components, comprising:

a small-scale chemical or biochemical reactor comprising a plastic substrate comprising at least one reaction unit, the reactor comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid pathway connecting the inlet and the outlet, the fluid pathway comprising a chamber having a surface suitable for cell growth and a volume of less than about 1 ml, the chamber being constructed and arranged to maintain and cultivate cells in culture, the chamber further comprising an inlet fluidly connectable to a source of nutrients for the cells having a controlled pH, and an outlet for release of the protein resulting from the interaction involving the cells in the chamber;

a membrane defining at least one wall of the fluid pathway;

an enclosure positioned proximate the membrane, wherein at least one product of the interaction involving cells in the chamber passes across the membrane into the enclosure;

the reactor further comprising an oxygen sensor.

6. A system as in claim 2, wherein the system comprises a plurality of reaction units attachable to and separable from each other, the plurality of reaction units being constructed and arranged to operate in parallel.