Disposable valve and flexible containers for pressurized bioreactors

摘要

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a valve assembly for preventing dead leg spaces in a container or tubing, the embodiments including a three-way valve system for controlling back-pressure in a fluid generating device, such as a single-use high pressure bioreactor. Also disclosed is a pressurized reactor system for bioprocessing, comprising a single-use container including a flexible wall or a semi-rigid wall.

主权项

1. A valve assembly for preventing dead leg spaces in a container or tubing, the valve assembly comprising:
a bulkhead fitting for attaching the valve assembly to a flexible or semi-rigid wall of the container or tubing, the bulkhead fitting comprising an annular flange for mounting on one side of the flexible or semi-rigid wall of the container or tubing such that an opening in the center of the annular flange is in communication with an aperture in the flexible or semi-rigid wall of the container or tubing; a hollow housing attached to or integral with the annular flange of the bulkhead fitting, the hollow housing comprising:
a liquid inlet communicating with the opening in the center of the annular flange and configured for receiving a liquid from the container or tubing;a liquid outlet;a gas port configured to be attached to a gas passageway and valve, wherein the valve is configured to selectively allow gas flow into the gas port or out of the gas port; andan inflatable and deflatable bellows or balloon fluidically connected to the gas port, and configured in a manner to inflate when gas flows into the gas port and into the inflatable bellows or balloon, thereby blocking the opening in the center of the annular flange and the aperture in the flexible or semi-rigid wall of the container or tubing, and to deflate when a vacuum is applied to the gas port, causing gas to flow out of the gas port and out of the bellows or balloon, thereby allowing liquid to flow out of the container or tubing, through the aperture in the flexible or semi-rigid wall of the container or tubing, through the hollow housing, and out of the liquid outlet of the hollow housing, the valve assembly thereby capable of preventing dead leg spaces in the container or tubing.