Bioreactor with condenser

Abstract

Bioreactor with a vessel having at least one gas dissipation duct for gas discharge, the orifice of the gas dissipation duct being connected to a hydrophobic sterile filter and to a condenser arranged between them and having condensation surfaces, a turbulence generator for generating a turbulent flow is arranged in the gas dissipation duct in the region of the condenser.

Claims

1. A bioreactor (1) comprising: a vessel (2) with a flexible wall (7); a gas dissipation duct (3, 3) joined to the flexible wall (7) and extending up from an upper part of the vessel (2) for gas discharge from the vessel (2), the gas dissipation duct (3, 3) having an orifice (8); a hydrophobic sterile filter (5, 5) connected to the orifice (8) of the gas dissipation duct (3, 3); and a condenser (4, 4) arranged above the vessel (2) and between the vessel (2) and the hydrophobic sterile filter (5, 5) so that the gas dissipation duct (3, 3) passes through the condenser (4, 4), an outer wall (12) arranged at a distance out from the gas dissipation duct (3, 3) at the condenser (4, 4) and defining an interspace (17) between the outer wall (12) and the gas dissipation duct (3, 3), connections (18, 19) communicating with the interspace (17) for conducting coolant through the interspace (17), surfaces of the gas dissipation duct (3, 3) in the condenser (4, 4) being configured to define turbulence generation means (9, 9) for generating a turbulent flow and condensation in the gas dissipation duct (3, 3) inward of the interspace (17), wherein the surfaces of the gas dissipation duct (3, 3) that form the turbulence generation means are above the vessel (2) and communicate gravitationally with the vessel (2) via the gas dissipation duct (3, 3) so that condensate produced at the condenser (4, 4) flows gravitationally down through the gas dissipation duct (3, 3) to the vessel (2), and the vessel (2), the condenser (4, 4) and the sterile filter (5, 5) being integrally connected and produced from gamma-sterilizable plastic and wherein the vessel (2), the condenser (4, 4) and the sterile filter (5, 5) are components of a disposable apparatus.

2. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein the turbulence generation means (9, 9) is a condenser hose (20) or condenser tube that is arranged helically in the gas dissipation duct (3, 3) and through which a cooling liquid can be conducted.

3. The bioreactor of claim 2, wherein the condenser hose (20) or the condenser tube is surrounded by further combined cooling and turbulence generation means.

4. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein the turbulence generation means (9, 9) comprises a packing (10).

5. The bioreactor of claim 4, wherein the packing (10) is produced from a nonwoven material.

6. The bioreactor of claim 4, wherein the packing (10) is produced from tubular segments made from glass, ceramic, plastic or metal.

7. The bioreactor of claim 1, further comprising a heating member (24) on an outer circumference of the hydrophobic sterile filter (5, 5).

8. The bioreactor of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic sterile filter (5, 5) is integrated into the condenser (4, 4).

9. The bioreactor of claim 1, further comprising lower and upper walls (13, 14) connected to opposite upper and lower ends of the outer wall (12) and closing the interspace (17), the upper wall (14) being welded to the sterile filter (5, 5) so that the sterile filter (5, 5) is between the lower and upper walls (13, 14) and inward of the outer wall (12), and with the turbulence generation means (9, 9) being between the sterile filter (5, 5) and the lower wall (13).

10. The bioreactor of claim 9, wherein the turbulence generation means (9, 9) comprises a packing (10) inward of the inner wall (11).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a side view of a bioreactor with a vessel, condenser and sterile filter in section and in elevation.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a sectional side view of a condenser with an integrated sterile filter.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a sectional side view of a condenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(4) A bioreactor 1 is composed essentially of a vessel 2, of a gas dissipation duct 3, of a condenser 4, of a sterile filter 5 and of a gas supply duct 6.

(5) The vessel 2 is designed as a bag made from plastic with a flexible wall 7 and has, inter alia, in addition to the gas dissipation duct 3, the gas supply duct 6.

(6) The orifice 8 of the gas dissipation duct 3 is connected to the hydrophobic sterile filter 5. The condenser 4 is arranged in the gas dissipation duct 3 between the vessel 2 and sterile filter 5.

(7) Turbulence generation means 9 for generating a turbulent flow are arranged in the gas dissipation duct 3 in the region of the condenser 4.

(8) According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the turbulence generation means 9 are designed as a packing 10 inserted into the gas dissipation duct 3 and composed of a nonwoven material or of tubular segments made from glass, ceramic, plastic or metal, and the wall 11 surrounding the gas dissipation duct 3 is formed by an inner tube made from plastic, preferably from polycarbonate, polyethylene or polypropylene. The condenser 4 has, at a distance from the inner wall 11, an outer wall 12 which is formed by an outer tube made from polypropylene. The condenser 4 has on each of its faces a cover 13, 14 with a connection 15, 16 for the gas dissipation duct 3. Coolants are fed into the interspace 17 formed by the walls 11, 12 via an upper coolant connection 19 and are dissipated therefrom via a lower coolant connection 18.

(9) The condensation surface of the condenser 4 is formed by the inner wall 11 according to the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2.

(10) According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, the condenser 4 has an inner wall 11 of the gas dissipation duct 3, said inner wall being formed by a tube made from plastic which at the same time forms the outer wall. The turbulence generation means 9 arranged in the gas dissipation duct 3 is formed by a condenser hose 20 which is arranged helically and through which coolant is supplied via its upper connection 16 and is dissipated via its lower connection 15. In this case, the outer surface 21 of its condenser hose 20 forms the condensation surface of the condenser 4. The condenser hose 20 may likewise be produced from plastic.

(11) The condenser hose 20 may be surrounded by further combined cooling and turbulence generation means 9, not illustrated, such as nonwoven material or formed thin individual pieces preferably made from plastic.

(12) According to the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3, the sterile filter 5 is integrated into the housing 22, 22 of the condenser 4, 4. The sterile filter 5, 5 is welded here in each case to the upper cover 14, 14.

(13) According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the hydrophobic sterile filter 5 has, on its circumference or housing 23, heating 24 for controlling the temperature of the gas to be dissipated.