Waste gas system for bioreactors

US8268059B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Juergen van den Boogard · Dransfeld, DE
• Gerid Hellwig · Dransfeld, DE
• Jens Ludwig · Duderstadt, DE
• Oscar-Werner Reif · Hannover, DE
• Stefan Weisshaar · Dransfeld, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 15, 2009
• Grant date: Sep 18, 2012
• Expiry date: Jun 10, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12M29/20
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to a waste gas system for bioreactors having a hydrophobic sterile filter, arranged at the end, and a heat exchanger which protects the sterile filter against blocking by liquid media. The gas outflow duct for discharging waste gas from a bioreactor vessel is divided in a cooling zone of the heat exchanger into a multiplicity of subducts and is extended in a heating zone of the heat exchanger to a calming zone. Due to the multiplicity of subducts, a considerably larger surface area for the removal of heat from the waste gas is available, with the result that in the case of laminar flow of the waste gas through the subducts a high effectiveness of the separation of liquids from the waste gas can be achieved. In the heating zone, the waste gas can heat up again due to the reduced flow rate until it reaches the hydrophobic sterile filter by way of taking up heat from the surroundings to a such a degree that the relative vapor contents are below 100% and separation of liquids from residual vapors at or in the hydrophobic sterile filter is precluded.