Bioreactor Tangential Flow Perfusion Filter System
A bioreactor hollow fiber perfusion system increases the capacity of standard fed batch bioreactors. The bioreactor hollow fiber perfusion system cycles bioreactor mass through a hollow fiber tangential flow filter which separates the metabolic wastes (as well as proteins) from the biomass material allowing the reactions in the bioreactor to continue when compared to a fed batch bioreactor. The bioreactor hollow fiber perfusion system preferably includes a low shear gamma stable disposable pumphead responsible for biomass re-cycling and can be easy installed or replaced without the risk of contamination.
1 . A bioreactor filtering system comprising:
a bioreactor vessel containing bioreactor fluid;
a tangential flow filter in fluid communication with the bioreactor vessel;
a pump connected in series with the tangential flow filter for cycling the bioreactor fluid through the tangential flow filter; and
a pressure control valve controlling pressure in the tangential flow filter,
wherein the tangential flow filter, the pump and the pressure control valve are connected in series between a bioreactor outlet and bioreactor inlet receiving the bioreactor fluid from a bioreactor vessel and returning a filtered bioreactor fluid to the bioreactor vessel.
2 . The bioreactor filtering system of claim 1 , wherein the pump precedes the tangential flow filter and the tangential flow filter precedes the pressure control valve.
3 . The bioreactor filtering system of claim 1 , wherein the tangential flow filter is a hollow fiber tangential flow filter.
4 . The bioreactor filtering system of claim 3 , wherein hollow fiber tangential flow filter includes pore membranes greater than 0.1 micron which remove metabolic wastes and expressed proteins.
5 . The bioreactor filtering system of claim 3 , wherein hollow fiber tangential flow filter includes hollow fiber membranes with pore sizes less than 0.1 micron and can be utilized to generate a bioreactor environment which retains products of interest while passing metabolic wastes through the hollow fiber tangential flow filter.
6 . The bioreactor filtering system of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a low shear pump.
7 . The bioreactor filtering system of claim 1 , wherein the pump includes a disposable pumphead.
8 . The bioreactor filtering system of claim 7 , wherein the disposable pumphead is a low shear disposable pumphead.
9 . The bioreactor filtering system of claim 8 , wherein the disposable pumphead is a low shear gamma stable disposable pumphead.
10 . The bioreactor filtering system of claim 7 , wherein the disposable pumphead is a low shear disposable levitating pumphead,
11 . The bioreactor filtering system of claim 1 , wherein the pump and tangential flow filter are connected by flexible tubing allowing easy changing of the elements.
12 . The bioreactor filtering system of claim 1 , further including a permeate pump drawing metabolic waste and associated proteins from the hollow fiber tangential flow filter.
13 . A bioreactor filtering system comprising:
a bioreactor vessel containing bioreactor fluid;
a hollow fiber tangential flow filter in fluid communication with the bioreactor vessel;
a pump in fluid communication with a bioreactor outlet of the bioreactor vessel and an inlet of the hollow fiber tangential flow filter, the pump including a low shear disposable pumphead;
a Transmembrane Pressure (TMP) pressure control valve connected serially between the hollow fiber tangential flow filter and a bioreactor inlet of the bioreactor vessel and controlling pressure in the hollow fiber tangential flow; and
a permeate pump drawing metabolic waste and associated proteins from the hollow fiber tangential flow filter, the waste and proteins separated from the bioreactor fluid by the hollow fiber tangential flow filter,
wherein the hollow fiber tangential flow filter, the pump, and the TMP pressure control valve are serially connected by flexible tubing between the bioreactor outlet and the bioreactor inlet receiving the bioreactor fluid from a bioreactor vessel and returning a filtered bioreactor fluid to the bioreactor vessel
14 . A bioreactor filtering system comprising:
a bioreactor vessel containing bioreactor fluid;
a hollow fiber tangential flow filter in fluid communication with the bioreactor vessel;
a pump in fluid communication with a bioreactor outlet of the bioreactor vessel and an inlet of the hollow fiber tangential flow filter, the pump including a low shear gamma stable disposable pumphead including a magnetically levitated rotor;
a Transmembrane Pressure (TMP) pressure control valve connected serially between the hollow fiber tangential flow filter and a bioreactor inlet of the bioreactor vessel and controlling pressure in the hollow fiber tangential flow; and
a permeate pump drawing metabolic waste and associated proteins from the hollow fiber tangential flow filter, the waste and proteins separated from the bioreactor fluid by the hollow fiber tangential flow filter,
wherein the hollow fiber tangential flow filter, the pump, and the TMP pressure control valve are serially connected by flexible tubing between the bioreactor outlet and the bioreactor inlet receiving the bioreactor fluid from a bioreactor vessel and returning a filtered bioreactor fluid to the bioreactor vessel