Method and apparatus for growing biomass particles
First Claim
1. A method for growing biomass particles in an agitated suspension culture vessel, comprising concurrently(A) adding fresh culture medium to an agitated suspension culture vessel containing biomass particles;
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(ii) said chamber is configured such that a fluid velocity of the culture medium entering said container through said bottom opening is significantly less than a settling velocity of the biomass particles; and
(iii) said hollow container has a plurality of holes disposed along the sides thereof, said holes being sized and located so as to allow culture medium and biomass particles to enter said container while avoiding significant agitation therewithin and minimizing withdrawal of biomass particles through the top opening thereof.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for growing biomass particles, particularly microcarrier-bound cells, in an agitated suspension culture vessel in which fresh culture medium is added and spent culture medium is withdrawn continuously or semi-continuously. The improvement comprises withdrawing the spent culture medium through a particle settling chamber located within the vessel and at least partially immersed in the agitated culture medium therewithin. The particle settling chamber comprises a hollow container with a bottom opening through which biomass particles, such as microcarrier-bound cells, settle by gravity back into the agitated culture medium and a top opening through which particle-free spent culture medium is withdrawn form the vessel. The settling chamber is configured such that the fluid velocity of culture medium entering the settling chamber through the bottom opening is significantly less than the biomass particle settling velocity.
35 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for growing biomass particles in an agitated suspension culture vessel, comprising concurrently
(A) adding fresh culture medium to an agitated suspension culture vessel containing biomass particles; - and
(B) withdrawing spent culture medium from said agitated suspension culture vessel containing biomass particles through a side perforated particle settling chamber which is at least partially immersed in an agitated culture medium within said vessel containing biomass particles, wherein (i) said particle settling chamber comprises a hollow container with a bottom opening through which said biomass particles settle by gravity back into the agitated culture medium and a top opening through which the spent culture medium is withdrawn from the vessel; (ii) said chamber is configured such that a fluid velocity of the culture medium entering said container through said bottom opening is significantly less than a settling velocity of the biomass particles; and (iii) said hollow container has a plurality of holes disposed along the sides thereof, said holes being sized and located so as to allow culture medium and biomass particles to enter said container while avoiding significant agitation therewithin and minimizing withdrawal of biomass particles through the top opening thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for growing biomass particles, comprising an agitated suspension culture vessel, a particle settling chamber disposed within said vessel such that it will be at least partially immersed in agitated culture medium during use, wherein
(i) said particle settling chamber comprises a hollow container with (1) a bottom opening through which said biomass particles settle by gravity back into an agitated culture medium and (2) a top opening through which spent culture medium is withdrawn from the vessel; -
(ii) said chamber is configured such that a fluid velocity of the culture medium entering said container through said bottom opening is significantly less than a settling velocity of the biomass particles; and (iii) said hollow container has a plurality of holes along the sides thereof, said holes being sized and located so as to allow the culture medium and biomass particles to enter said container while avoiding significant agitation therewithin and minimizing withdrawal of biomass particles through the top opening thereof. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification