Bioreactor system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10900007-B2
Application number	US-201615780487-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2016
Priority date	Dec 1, 2015
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

According to various implementations, the bioreactor system includes a bioreactor vessel, an impeller for stirring contents within the vessel, a temperature control source for controlling the temperature of the contents of the vessel, an aeration system for supplying air to the vessel, and one or more data loggers. According to certain implementations, the impeller is a novel impeller design that spins more smoothly and rapidly than known impellers. In addition, the bioreactor system is modular, durable, and relatively inexpensive compared to existing bioreactor systems, which allows for bench-scale implementation, use with differently sized bioreactor vessels, and accessibility to more educational programs, according to some implementations.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An impeller for a bioreactor vessel comprising:
a cylindrical hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis extending through the cylindrical tube, the cylindrical tube defining an inner diameter;
a magnetic stir bar disposed adjacent the distal end of the tube;
an axle extending through a portion of the length of the cylindrical tube, the axle having a longitudinal axis that is collinear with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical tube and a distal end and proximal end, the distal end of the axle being axially spaced apart from the magnetic stir bar; and
a first radial spacer disposed adjacent the distal end of the axle and a second radial spacer disposed adjacent the proximal end of the cylindrical tube, each radial spacer having an outer radial surface and an inner radial surface that is disposed adjacent the axle, at least a portion of the outer radial surface engaging the inner diameter of the cylindrical hollow tube;
wherein the axle is stationary and the cylindrical tube rotates a bout its longitudinal axis and the longitudinal axis of the axle in response to a rotational magnetic force received by the magnetic stir bar
further comprising a cap comprising an end wall and a cylindrical side wall that extends axially from an edge of the end wall, the cap further defining an opening in a center of the end wall, wherein the side wall engages the proximal end of the cylindrical tube and the proximal end of the axle extends through the opening in the center of the end wall of the cap, and the cap rotates with the cylindrical tube about the axle.

2. The impeller of claim 1 , wherein the side wall defines a plurality of screw threads and the proximal end of the cylindrical tube defines a plurality of mating screw threads for engaging the screw threads of the side wall of the cap.

3. The impeller of claim 1 , further comprising a dampening ring disposed around a portion of the axle, wherein the dampening ring has a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the opening in the end wall of the cap and is disposed axially adjacent an axial inner surface of the end wall, the axial inner surface of the end wall facing towards the distal end of the hollow cylindrical tube.

4. The impeller of claim 3 , wherein the dampening ring comprises an elastomeric material.

5. The impeller of claim 3 , wherein an axial position of the dampening ring along the axle is adjustable.

6. The impeller of claim 1 , wherein one or more additional radial spacers are disposed axially between the first and the second radial spacers, each of the one or more additional radial spacers having an outer radial surface, wherein at least a portion of the outer radial surface engages the inner diameter of the cylindrical tube.

7. The impeller of claim 6 , wherein the one or more additional radial spacers are axially spaced apart from each other and the first and second radial spacers so as to evenly distribute the mass of the radial spacers along the axle.

8. The impeller of claim 7 , wherein the spacing between the one or more additional radial spacers is selected to maintain smooth and stable rotation about the axle.

9. The impeller of claim 1 , wherein the radial spacers comprise ball bearings.

10. The impeller of claim 1 , wherein the radial spacers comprise nuts.

11. The impeller of claim 1 , further comprising first and second axial stop members, the first axial stop member being disposed axially adjacent and distally of the first radial spacer and the second axial stop member being disposed axially adjacent and distally of the second radial spacer, wherein the axial stop members prevent axial movement of the radial spacers toward the distal end of the axle.

12. The impeller of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic stir bar is disposed 1 millimeter below the distal end of the axle.

13. The impeller of claim 1 , wherein a distal surface of the second radial spacer is disposed 1 mm to 5 mm from the distal end of the tube.

14. A bioreactor system comprising:
a bioreactor vessel having a bottom surface and one or more side walk extending from the bottom surface, the one or more side walls defining at least one central opening axially opposite the bottom surface;
a vessel cap configured for engaging the one or more side walls to close off the central opening of the vessel, the vessel cap comprising a top surface and one or more side walls that extend from the top surface and engage with the one or more side walls of the vessel;
an impeller comprising:
a cylindrical hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis extending through the cylindrical tube, the cylindrical tube defining an inner diameter;
a magnetic stir bar disposed adjacent the distal end of the tube; an axle extending through a portion of the length of the cylindrical tube, the axle having a longitudinal axis that is collinear with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical tube and a distal end and proximal end, the distal end of the axle being axially spaced apart from the magnetic stir bar; and
a first radial spacer disposed adjacent the distal end of the axle and a second radial spacer disposed adjacent the proximal end of the cylindrical tube, each radial spacer having an outer radial surface that engages the inner diameter of the cylindrical tube and an inner radial surface that is disposed adjacent the axle, at least a portion of the outer radial surface engaging the inner diameter of the cylindrical hollow tube;
wherein the axle is stationary and the cylindrical tube rotates about its longitudinal axis and the longitudinal axis of the axle in response to a rotational magnetic force received by the magnetic stir bar, and
wherein the proximal end of the axle extends through an opening defined in the top surface of the vessel cap and is secured relative to the top surface of the vessel cap, and the distal end of the cylindrical hollow tube is spaced apart from and axially above the bottom surface of the bioreactor vessel
further comprising a cap comprising an end wall and a cylindrical side wall that extends axially from an edge of the end wall, the cap further defining an opening in a center of the end wall, wherein the side wall engages the proximal end of the cylindrical tube and the proximal end of the axle extends through the opening in the center of the end wall of the cap, and the cap rotates with the cylindrical tube about the axle.

15. The bioreactor system of claim 14 , further comprising a temperature control system, the temperature control system comprising:
an open ended container in which a liquid is disposed;
a pump;
a temperature control source; and
one or more conduits extending between the open ended container, the pump, and the temperature control source, wherein the bottom surface and at least a portion of the side walls of the vessel are disposable within the open ended container such that the liquid surrounds the portion of the side walls of the vessel, and the pump causes the liquid to flow between the open ended container and the temperature control source.

16. The bioreactor system of claim 15 , wherein the temperature control source comprises a second container and a heater plate, wherein the second container is disposed on the heater plate and heat is transferred between the fluid in the second container and the heater plate.

17. The bioreactor system of claim 16 , wherein the heater plate is selectably used as a heat sink or a heat source.

18. The temperature control system of claim 15 , wherein the tempera

Assignees

• Univ Georgia State Res Found

Inventors

• Stubblefield Bryan
• Gilbert Eric

Classifications

• B01F33/453

  using supported or suspended stirring elements · CPC title

• B01F33/4537

  the stirring element being suspended by one point · CPC title

• C12M27/02 Primary

  Stirrer or mobile mixing elements · CPC title

• C02F3/006

  Regulation methods for biological treatment · CPC title

• C02F2209/02

  Temperature · CPC title