BIOREACTOR SYSTEMS AND DISPOSABLE BIOREACTOR

• US 20110111486A1
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cp Biotools LLC
• Original Assignee: Mayfair Technology Limited Liability Company
• Inventors: Furey, James Francis
• Granted Patent: US 8,501,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/287.1
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/26 flexible flexible containers for laboratory use B01L3/505
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/28 disposable or single use
• 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 29/16 Hollow fibers hollow fiber modules in general B01D63/02
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/18 External loop; Means for reintroduction of fermented biomass or liquid percolate loop type reactors for chemical or physical processes B01J19/2435
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 47/10 Separation or concentration of fermentation products bioreactors combined with means for distillation or extraction of liquid fuel C12M43/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/813 Continuous fermentation

Abstract

The present invention is in the field of cell bioreactors, and specifically in the field of disposable bioreactors.

Claims

1. A bioreactor, comprising:

a container for holding a fluid culture;

a first unidirectional valve;

a second unidirectional valve; and

a diaphragm pump in fluid communication with the first and second valves, wherein the first unidirectional valve allows fluid culture flow away from the container and toward the diaphragm pump and the second unidirectional valve allows fluid culture flow toward the container and away from the diaphragm pump, wherein the first unidirectional valve and the second unidirectional valve are coupled to one end of a filter by tubing and a connector having a first lead, a second lead, and a third lead, wherein the first lead is connected to the first unidirectional valve, the second lead is connected to the second unidirectional valve, and the third lead is connected to the filter.

2. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a disposable container for holding a fluid culture, the container including a diffuser completely disposed within the fluid culture when held within the disposable container, an outlet tube for drawing the culture from a bottom of the container, and an inlet tube for returning at least a portion the culture from the outlet tube to the container through the diffuser, wherein the diffuser disperses the returning culture to the disposable container into a wider more distributed stream than would occur using the inlet tube without the diffuser.

3. The bioreactor of claim 2, wherein the diffuser combines a gas from a source external to the container with the returning culture before the dispersion to the container.

4. The bioreactor of claim 2, wherein the first diffuser and at least one of the tubes comprise a thermoplastic or silicon.

5. The bioreactor of claim 2, wherein the container tapers to a narrow lower portion and the outlet tube is disposed in the narrow lower portion.

6. The bioreactor of claim 2, wherein the first diffuser comprises a screen mesh.

7. The bioreactor of claim 2, wherein the first diffuser comprises a hollow body having a top surface, wherein the hollow body defines a plurality of apertures extending through the top surface.

8. The bioreactor of claim 2, further comprising a second diffuser disposed below the first diffuser.

9. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein the first unidirectional valve and the second unidirectional valve are coupled to at least one of the diaphragm pump and the container by tubing.

10. The bioreactor of claim 9, wherein the tubing comprises a weldable thermoplastic elastomer or silicone.

11. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein the first unidirectional valve and the second unidirectional valve are coupled to one end of a filter by tubing and a connector having a first lead, a second lead, and a third lead, wherein the first lead is connected to the first unidirectional valve, the second lead is connected to the second unidirectional valve, and the third lead is connected to the filter.

12. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first unidirectional valve and the second unidirectional valve are at least one of a pinch valve and a check valve.

13. The bioreactor of claim 1, further comprising:

a filter housing having an open first end and an open second end, the open second end being formed as the liquid-containing side of a diaphragm pump; and

,

a filter element disposed in the filter housing.

14. The bioreactor of claim 13, wherein the filter element comprises hollow fibers.

15. The bioreactor of claim 13 wherein the open second end is formed in an approximately semi-hemispherical shape.

16. The bioreactor of claim 1, further comprising at least one pH sensor, dissolved oxygen sensor and a glucose sensor.

17. The bioreactor of claim 8, wherein the second diffuser is a gas diffuser, whereby bubbles from the second diffuser will bubble up around the first diffuser.

18. A filtration system, comprising:

A) a bioreactor, comprising;

a container for holding a fluid culture; and

B) a bioreactor valve system, comprising;

a first unidirectional valve;

a second unidirectional valve;

means for connecting the first unidirectional valve and the second unidirectional valve to a diaphragm pump; and

means for connecting the first unidirectional valve and the second unidirectional valve to a bioreactor, wherein the first unidirectional valve allows liquid flow away from the bioreactor and toward the diaphragm pump and the second unidirectional valve allows liquid flow toward the bioreactor and away from the diaphragm pump

19. The filtration system of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the first diffuser is formed from a buoyant material.

20. The filtration system of claim 18, wherein the bioreactor further includes a diffuser disposed completely within the fluid culture held in the container;

an outlet tube for drawing the culture from a bottom of the container;

an inlet tube for returning at least a portion the culture from the outlet tube to the container through the diffuser, the diffuser being disposed above the container bottom and adapted to lie within the culture, wherein the diffuser disperses the returning culture to the disposable container into a wider more distributed stream than would occur using the inlet tube without the diffuser, wherein the diffuser combines a gas from a source external to the container with the returning culture before the dispersion to the container.