System for switching over the exhaust air of a bioreactor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10202575-B2
Application number	US-201414787323-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2014
Priority date	May 3, 2013
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

A system (1) is provided for switching over exhaust air of a bioreactor (2) that has a disposable container (3). The system (1) has at least two exhaust air ducts (4, 5) connecting the disposable container (3) to exhaust air filters (6, 7, 18, 18′). A valve (8) is disposed in at least one of the at least two exhaust air ducts (4, 5) and enables the associated exhaust air filter (6, 7, 18, 18′) to be freed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system ( 1 ) for switching over exhaust air of a bioreactor ( 2 ), the bioreactor ( 2 ) having a disposable container ( 3 ), the system ( 1 ) comprising:
an air supply duct ( 14 ) extending into the disposable container ( 3 ),
at least first and second exhaust air ducts ( 4 , 5 ) extending from the disposable container ( 3 ),
at least first and second exhaust air filters ( 6 , 7 , 18 , 18 ′) communicating respectively with the first and second exhaust air ducts ( 4 , 5 ),
at least one exhaust air pressure sensor ( 9 ) communicating with at least one of the exhaust air ducts ( 4 , 5 ),
an air supply pressure sensor ( 9 ) communicating with the air supply duct ( 14 )
a valve ( 8 ) mounted to the second exhaust air duct ( 5 ) and being operative for selectively permitting or blocking communication to the associated second exhaust air filter ( 7 , 18 , 18 ′), and
a regulating and control unit ( 10 ) connected to the valve ( 8 ), to the at least one exhaust air pressure sensor ( 9 ) and to the air supply pressure sensor ( 9 ), the regulating and control unit ( 10 ) being operative to open the valve ( 8 ) to permit communication to the second exhaust air filter ( 7 ) when the at least one exhaust air pressure sensor ( 9 ) and the air supply pressure sensor ( 9 ) sense a pressure indicative of a blockage of the first exhaust air filter ( 6 ).

2. The system for switching over the exhaust air according to claim 1 , wherein
the first and second exhaust air ducts ( 4 , 5 ) are connected separately to the disposable container ( 3 ).

3. The system for switching over the exhaust air according to claim 1 , wherein
the first and second exhaust air ducts ( 4 , 5 ) are connected to the disposable container ( 3 ) by a distributor piece ( 15 , 16 ).

4. The system for switching over the exhaust air according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least a third exhaust air duct ( 13 ) connected to the disposable container ( 3 ) and having a free end that is closed by a first part ( 20 ) of a two-part sterile connector ( 19 ), and
a third exhaust air filter ( 18 ) connected to a connecting line ( 21 ) that is connected to a second part ( 22 ) of the two-part sterile connector ( 19 ), wherein the disposable container ( 3 ) is placed in communication with the third exhaust air filter ( 18 ) when the at least one exhaust air pressure sensor ( 9 ) and the air supply pressure sensor ( 9 ) senses a pressure indicative of a blockage of the first and second exhaust air filters ( 6 , 7 ).

5. The system for switching over the exhaust air according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one exhaust air pressure sensor ( 9 ) comprises first and second pressure sensors ( 9 ) in the first and second exhaust air ducts ( 4 , 5 , 13 ) respectively.

6. The system for switching over the exhaust air according to claim 1 , wherein
the regulating and control unit ( 10 ) is connected by control lines ( 12 ) to the valve ( 8 ).

7. The system for switching over the exhaust air according to claim 1 , wherein
the regulating and control unit ( 10 ) is connected by sensor lines ( 11 ) to the at least one exhaust air sensor ( 9 ) and to the air supply pressure sensor ( 9 ).

8. The system for switching over the exhaust air according to claim 1 , wherein
the valve ( 8 ) is disposed upstream of the second exhaust air filters ( 7 ).

9. The system for switching over the exhaust air according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an exhaust air cooler ( 17 ) between the disposable container ( 3 ) and the exhaust air filter ( 6 , 7 ).

10. The system for switching over the exhaust air according to claim 1 , wherein
the valve ( 8 ) is a pinch valve ( 8 ) that is selectively movable between the first and second exhaust air ducts ( 4 , 5 ).

11. The system for switching over the exhaust air according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a replacement exhaust air filter ( 18 ′) configured to be incorporated into the first exhaust air duct ( 4 ) after the first exhaust air filter ( 6 ) has been determined to be blocked, wherein, after the first exhaust air filter ( 6 ) has been determined to be blocked: the replacement filter ( 18 ′) is placed in communication with the disposable container ( 3 ), the pinch valve ( 8 ) is moved from the second exhaust air duct ( 5 ) to the first exhaust air duct ( 4 ) and is closed, and the pinch valve ( 4 ) is opened after the at least one pressure sensor ( 9 ) senses a pressure indicative of a blockage of the second exhaust air filter ( 7 ).

12. The system for switching over the exhaust air according to claim 4 , wherein
the valve ( 8 ) is a pinch valve ( 8 ) that is configured to be selectively connected to and removed from the first and second exhaust air ducts ( 4 , 5 ) and selectively connected to and removed from the connecting line ( 21 ), wherein the pinch valve ( 8 ) is removed from the second exhaust air duct ( 5 ), engaged between the replacement filter ( 18 ′) and the two-part sterile connector ( 19 ) and closed when the second exhaust air filter ( 7 ) is not blocked and is opened to permit flow through the connecting line ( 21 ) when the at least one pressure sensor ( 9 ) detects a blockage of the second exhaust air filter ( 7 ).

Assignees

• Sartorius Stedim Biotech Gmbh

Inventors

• Kahlert Wolfgang
• Hartmann Ralf
• Husemann Bernward

Classifications

• C12M41/48

  Automatic or computerized control (automatic analysis G01N35/00) · CPC title

• C12M41/40 Primary

  of pressure · CPC title

• C12M37/04

  Seals · CPC title

• C12M37/02

  Filters · CPC title

• C12M29/20

  Degassing; Venting; Bubble traps (means for collection or storage of gas C12M23/36; gas collection apparatus for laboratory use B01L5/02) · CPC title