Bioreactor, reactor bag for same and stirrer for circulating contents of said bag

• US 9,670,448 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH (Sartorius AG)
• Original Assignee: Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH (Sartorius AG)
• Inventors: Zeuch, Stefan, Regen, Thomas, Greller, Gerhard, Reif, Oscar-Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): HOBBS, MICHAEL L
• Application Number:
  US14/435,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20150259638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 4352891
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/453 using supported or suspended stirring elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/513 Flexible receptacles, e.g. bags supported by rigid containers
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/14 Bags
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/28 disposable or single use
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/02 Stirrer or mobile mixing elements

Abstract

A bioreactor has a reactor bag (12) with a predominantly flexible bag wall (121) that has a rigid bearing area. A stirrer arrangement (14) is in the bearing area and includes rigid profile ring (16) made of a non-magnetic material and fixed in the bearing area. The stirrer arrangement (14) also includes a shaftless stirrer (18) rotatably engaged with the profile ring (16) and having parts that are permanently magnetic. An electric coil arrangement (20) is outside the reactor bag (12) and can produce a rotating magnetic field that interacts with the permanent-magnetic areas of the stirrer (18) to produce a torque that rotates the stirrer (18) and circulates the contents of the bag (12).

Claims

1. A bioreactor, comprising

a reactor bag (12) having a predominantly flexible bag wall (121) with a rigidly formed bearing area in a segment of a height of the reactor bag (12),

a shaftless stirrer that is part of a rotor (18) that spans a cross-section of the bag (12), parts of the rotor (18) are permanently magnetic, the rotor (18) being housed in the bearing area inside of the bag,

a coil arrangement (20) positioned outside the reactor bag (12) and being operative to produce a rotating magnetic field that interacts with the permanent-magnetic parts of the rotor (18) to exert a torque on the rotor (18), and

a rigid profile ring (16) made of a non-magnetic material and having a guide rail (162/185), on which the rotor (18) is rotatably engaged, the profile ring (16) being arranged in the segment of the height of the reactor bag (12) along which the bearing area extends,

a magnetic field of the coil arrangement (20) interacting with at least one of the permanent magnet (186) parts arranged in a radially outer area of the rotor (18).

2. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein

the profile ring (16) penetrates the flexible bag wall (121) and is bonded to the flexible bag wall (121).

3. The bioreactor of claim 1,

wherein

the profile ring (16) has a guide groove (162) running around the profile ring (16), the guide groove (162) being open towards the interior of the bag, into which guide groove (162) at least one guide shoe (185) arranged on a radially outer part of the rotor (18) is introduced axially and radially.

4. The bioreactor of claim 3,

wherein

at no fewer than three positions on a circumference of the profile ring (16), radially oriented roller bearings (163) and/or axially oriented, opposed pairs of roller bearings (164) project with spring action into the guide groove (162).

5. The bioreactor of claim 3,

wherein

at no fewer than three positions on a circumference of the profile ring, radially oriented slide bearing springs and/or axially oriented, opposed pairs of slide bearing springs project into the guide groove.

6. The bioreactor of claim 3,

wherein

on an outer side of the profile ring (16), the guide groove (162) forms a projection with at least one axial mounting surface (167) on which an electric coil arrangement (20) designed as a separate unit or unit group is arranged, the coil arrangement (20) being capable of generating the magnetic field.

7. The bioreactor of claim 6,

wherein

the guide groove (162) on the outer side of the profile ring (16) is surrounded on three sides, by form-fitting connection, by an electric coil arrangement (20) designed as a separate unit or unit group, the coil arrangement (20) being capable of generating the magnetic field.

8. The bioreactor of claim 1,

wherein

the rotor (18) has a central body (181) and at least three spokes (184) extending radially from the central body (181).

9. The bioreactor of claim 8,

wherein

the spokes (184) of the rotor (18) are connected to one another by a ring-shaped rim (185).

10. The bioreactor of claim 9,

wherein

the rim (185) has a plurality of permanent magnets (186) distributed around its circumference.

11. A reactor bag for a bioreactor (10), comprising:

a predominantly flexible bag wall (121) with a rigid bearing area in a segment of a height of the reactor bag (12), and

a rigid profile ring (16) made of a non-magnetic material arranged in the bearing area in the segment of the height of the reactor bag (12) along which the bearing area extends, the profile ring (16) defining a guide rail (162/185).

12. The reactor bag of claim 11,

wherein

the profile ring (16) penetrates the flexible bag wall (121) and is bonded to the flexible bag wall (121).

13. The reactor bag of claim 11 , further comprising:

a stirrer arranged in the interior of the bag and defining a shaftless rotor (18) spanning a cross-section of the bag and housed rotatably in an axial and radial manner on the profile ring (16) by means of the guide rail (162/185).

14. A stirrer to circulate the contents of a bioreactor (10) comprising:

a plurality of paddle-shaped circulation elements (182), a holder (183) at least partly surrounding the circulation elements (182) and fastened to the circulation elements (182),

at least three spokes (184) extending radially out from the holder (183), and

at least one rim ring (185) engaged with radially outer ends of the spokes (184), the at least one rim ring (185) having at least one permanent magnet (186) arranged in the at least one rim ring (185) and configured for engagement with an outer guide rail (162).

15. The stirrer of claim 14,

wherein

the spokes (184) of the rotor (18) are connected to one another by the rim ring (185), the at least one permanent magnet (186) defining a plurality of permanent magnets (186) distributed around the rim ring (185).