VERTICAL MIXING BIOREACTOR AND DRIVE SYSTEM THEREFOR

摘要

A bioreactor includes a vessel containing a fluid to be mixed and at least one mixing device driven by a non-contaminating, indirect drive system. The mixing speed of the mixing device inside of the bioreactor may be controlled by the rotating speed of the magnets or the frequency of polarity changes of electromagnets outside the vessel acting upon magnets or ferrous material in or on the impeller wheel. The impeller wheel has a plurality of radially-oriented outer paddles with gaps therebetween that mixes fluid and culture cells around the vessel. A pair of curved axial flow vanes toward the middle of the impeller wheel washes the culture mix further.

主权项

1. A bioreactor, comprising:
a. a single-use vessel sized to contain a volume of fluid or medium; b. a vertically-oriented impeller wheel positioned within the vessel and having a horizontally-oriented axle supported within the vessel about which the impeller wheel rotates, the impeller wheel having outer paddles for mixing the fluid in the vessel and at least one driven element mounted thereon in close proximity with an outer periphery; and c. a drive system positioned outside of the vessel in close proximity therewith having at least one drive element configured to exert either an attractive or repulsive magnetic force to the driven element and rotate the impeller wheel.