Bioreactor outlet air conditioning systems and associated methods

摘要

A bioreactor outlet air conditioning system (10) has a bioreactor vessel (100) and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has a fluid flow path (196) from a headspace (108) in the vessel for venting air from the vessel, and a temperature control element (300) in thermal contact with the fluid flow path (196). The fluid flow path (196) may be defined by a disposable portion of the bioreactor vessel (100). A method of controlling evaporation within a bioreactor vessel (100), dependent on the required evaporation rate, adjusts the temperature of the temperature control element (300) to control the rate of evaporation of the liquid media (106) from the vessel (100), and may include monitoring fluids in the fluid flow path (196) to detect at least water content of the fluids exiting the vessel to adjust the temperature and control the rate of evaporation dependent on the detected water content levels.

主权项

1. A bioreactor outlet air conditioning system comprising:
a. a bioreactor vessel; and b. a heat exchanger comprising:
i. an outlet fluid flow path from a headspace in the bioreactor vessel for venting air from the bioreactor vessel, wherein a bottom portion of the outlet fluid flow path is an integral part of the bioreactor vessel;ii. a lid portion, wherein the outlet fluid flow path is integral with and oriented in the same plane as the lid portion;iii. a temperature control element in separable thermal contact with at least the portion of the outlet fluid flow path that is integral with the bioreactor vessel;wherein the bioreactor vessel comprises a body portion configured to be attached to the lid portion, and the outlet fluid flow path is an arranged conduit defined by the intersection of an upper surface of the body portion and a lower surface of the lid portion and having an opening at a first end for fluid communication with the body portion and an opening at a second end, wherein the upper surface of the body portion forms the bottom portion of the outlet fluid flow path; andwherein the temperature control element in thermal contact with the outlet fluid flow path comprises a thermally conductive block having a profile that is similar to a profile of at least a portion of the outlet fluid flow path so as to have at least one surface of the thermally conductive block contiguous with at least a portion of the outlet fluid flow path that is integral with the lid portion to maximize heat transfer.