Microcarrier Forming Apparatus

Abstract

A microcarrier forming apparatus includes a tank having an inner periphery. A plurality of spoilers is disposed on the inner periphery of the tank. A spray generator includes a spraying end facing an interior of the tank. A stirrer includes a shaft and a fluid driving member. The shaft includes a central axis inclined from a horizontal plane. The fluid driving member is coupled to the shaft and is disposed in the interior of the tank.

Claims

1. A microcarrier forming apparatus comprising: a tank including an inner periphery, wherein a plurality of spoilers is disposed on the inner periphery of the tank; a spray generator including a spraying end facing an interior of the tank; and a stirrer including a shaft and a fluid driving member, wherein the shaft includes a central axis inclined from a horizontal plane, and wherein the fluid driving member is coupled to the shaft and is disposed in the interior of the tank.

2. The microcarrier forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of spoilers includes an even number of spoilers, and wherein the even number of spoilers are symmetrically disposed.

3. The microcarrier forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spray generator includes an equipment using supersonic wave energy to create a standing wave effect to thereby induce an oriented microdroplet spray.

4. The microcarrier forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank includes a bottom board, wherein each of the plurality of spoilers has a vertical height, wherein a reference plane passes through a half of the vertical height of each of the plurality of spoilers, wherein the fluid driving member includes two blade units, wherein one of the two blade units is disposed between the bottom board and the reference plane, and wherein another of the two blade units is disposed above the reference plane.

5. The microcarrier forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of spoilers has a maximum thickness in a radial direction toward a central axis of the tank, and wherein a ratio of the vertical height of each of the plurality of spoilers to the maximum thickness is in a range between 6.5 and 7.5.

6. The microcarrier forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein a ratio of a maximum width of each of the plurality of spoilers to the maximum thickness is in a range between 3 and 5.

7. The microcarrier forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the two blade units includes a central portion coupled to the shaft and a plurality of blades disposed on an outer periphery of the shaft at regular angular intervals.

8. The microcarrier forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the tank has an inner diameter, wherein each of the two blade units has a maximum span, and wherein a ratio of the maximum span to the inner diameter is in a range between 0.35 and 0.45.

9. The microcarrier forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaft rotates at a speed of 100-500 rpm.

10. The microcarrier forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tank includes a vertical axis coplanar to the central axis of the shaft, wherein the vertical axis is at an angle to the central axis, and wherein the angle is not equal to 0.

11. The microcarrier forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the angle is between 5 and 45.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a conventional microcarrier forming apparatus.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a microcarrier forming apparatus of an embodiment according to the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating operation of the microcarrier forming apparatus of FIG. 2.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along section line A-A of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, a microcarrier forming apparatus of an embodiment according to the present invention includes a tank 1, a spray generator 2, and a stirrer 3. The tank 1 receives a water-phase fluid F1. The spray generator 2 ejects an oil-phase fluid F2 into the water-phase fluid F1 in the tank 1. The stirrer 3 stirs the water-phase fluid F1 in the tank 1.

[0028] The type of the tank 1 receiving the water-phase fluid F1 is not limited. In this embodiment, the tank 1 includes a bottom board 11 and an annular wall 12 connected to the bottom board 11, with the bottom board 11 and the annular wall 12 together defining a space for receiving the water-phase fluid F1. A plurality of spoilers 13 is mounted in the tank 1 and can be disposed on the inner periphery of the tank 1. Preferably, an even number of spoilers 13 is symmetrically disposed.

[0029] The spray generator 2 can be an equipment that uses a standing wave effect (capillary waves) to induce an oriented microdroplet spray. In a non-restrictive example, the spray generator 2 uses supersonic wave energy to provide the standing wave effect. The spray generator 2 receives the oil-phase fluid F2 and includes a spraying end 21 facing an interior of the tank 1. Namely, the spraying end 21 of the spray generator 2 and the fluid level of the water-phase fluid F1 in the tank 1 can have a fixed spacing therebetween to permit spraying of oil-phase microdroplets into the water-phase fluid F1. Alternatively, the spraying end 21 of the spray generator 2 extends into water-phase fluid F1 and is immersed in the water-phase fluid F1, such that the oil-phase microdroplets can be directly ejected in the water-phase fluid F1.

[0030] It is particularly noted that the number of the nozzles of the spraying end 21 of the spray generator 2 is not limited in the present invention, and the spraying end 21 can be of a planar type permitting installation of a number of nozzles or a conic type permitting installation of a single nozzle. Thus, the spraying end 21 is not limited to the type illustrated in the drawings.

[0031] The stirrer 3 includes a shaft 31 and a fluid driving member 32. The fluid driving member 32 is coupled to the shaft 31 and is mounted in the tank 1. The shaft 31 drives the fluid driving member 32 to rotate to thereby stir the water-phase fluid F1 in the tank 1. The type of the fluid driving member 32 is not limited in the present invention. For example, the fluid driving member 32 includes two blade units 321. Each of the two blade units 321 includes a central portion coupled to the shaft 31 and a plurality of blades 3211 disposed on an outer periphery of the shaft 31. Preferably, each of the two blade units 321 includes 2-4 blades disposed on the outer periphery of the shaft 31 at regular angular intervals. Furthermore, each of the plurality of spoilers 13 has a vertical height h. A reference plane S1 passes through a half of the vertical height h of each of the plurality of spoilers 13. One of the two blade units 321 is disposed between the bottom board 11 and the reference plane S1, and the other blade unit 321 is disposed above the reference plane S1, increasing stirring uniformity of the water-phase fluid F1.

[0032] Furthermore, the shaft 31 includes a central axis L1 inclined from a horizontal plane S2. Namely, the tank 1 includes numerous vertical axes L2. After the shaft 31 of the stirrer 3 is inserted into to the interior of the tank 1, the central axis L1 of the shaft 31 is coplanar to one of the vertical axes L2. When installing or operating the stirrer 3, the central axis L1 should be an angle to the vertical axes L2 to obliquely extend the shaft 31 through the water-phase fluid F1, with the angle being not equal to 0.

[0033] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, in use of the microcarrier forming apparatus of the embodiment, the oil-phase fluid F2 is ejected by the spray generator 2 as microdroplets in a soft spray at a low speed towards the water-phase fluid F1 in the tank 1. The water-phase fluid F1 envelops the microdroplets of the oil-phase fluid F2 to form a plurality of microcarrier semi-products P in the tank 1. Each of the plurality of microcarrier semi-products P includes an inner layer formed by the oil-phase fluid F2 and an outer layer formed by the water-phase fluid F1.

[0034] By using the shaft 31 inclinedly disposed in the water-phase fluid F1 to drive the fluid driving member 32 to rotate, the water-phase fluid F1 can be continuously stirred without creating a swirling flow field. Furthermore, the plurality of spoilers 13 in the tank 1 creates a stir to the whole flow field, guides the water-phase fluid F1 to form a plurality of vertical flow fields, and guides the ambient water-phase fluid F1 to flow towards the center. Thus, the plurality of microcarrier semi-products P can be more uniformly dispersed in the water-phase fluid F1 and is less likely to form a clod due to aggregation and adherence.

[0035] Finally, the plurality of microcarrier semi-products P is collected and dried by hot air and/or other provisions to evaporate the outer layers formed by the water-phase fluid F1, forming a plurality of microcarrier products merely formed by the oil-phase fluid F2. The plurality of microcarrier products has more uniform diameters and has an integral appearance.

[0036] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, to assure an excellent stirring effect of the water-phase fluid F1, the tank 1, the spray generator 2, and the stirrer 3 of this embodiment are arranged as follows: the angle is between 5 and 45, the rotating speed of the shaft 31 is 100-500 rpm, the tank 1 receives about 1-100 liters of water-phase fluid F1 and has an inner diameter D, each of the two blade units 321 has a maximum span W, and a ratio (W/D) of the maximum span W to the inner diameter D is in a range between 0.35 and 0.45. The number of the spoilers 13 is four (4), and the spoilers 13 are disposed on the inner periphery 121 of the annular wall 12 at regular angular intervals. Each spoiler 13 has a maximum thickness t in a radial direction toward a central axis of the tank 1, a ratio (h/t) of the vertical height h of each of the plurality of spoilers 13 to the maximum thickness t is in a range between 6.5 and 7.5, and a ratio of a maximum width w of each of the plurality of spoilers 13 to the maximum thickness is in a range between 3 and 5.

[0037] In view of the foregoing, by using the shaft 31 inclinedly disposed in the water-phase fluid F1 and cooperating the spoilers 13 stirring the flow field, the microcarrier forming apparatus according to the present invention can effectively avoid the water-phase fluid F1 from creating a swirling flow field, such that the plurality of microcarrier semi-products P can be more uniformly dispersed in the water-phase fluid F1 and is less likely to form a clod due to aggregation and adherence. This assures that the plurality of microcarrier products has more uniform diameters and has an integral appearance, increasing the yield of the microcarriers.

[0038] Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.