Bioreactor system and method

1. A bioreactor system ( 1 ; 2 ; 3 ), comprising:

a disposable bag ( 44 ) having an inner space for receiving a biological material and a disposable bag port ( 200 ) of predetermined shape for discharging the biological material from the inner space of the disposable bag ( 44 );

a receiving container ( 10 ) for receiving the disposable bag ( 44 ), wherein the receiving container comprises:

a bottom surface ( 11 ) configured to support the disposable bag ( 44 ) in the receiving container ( 10 ), and

an outlet opening ( 5 ) formed in the bottom surface ( 11 ) of the receiving container ( 10 ), the outlet opening ( 5 ) being downwardly tapered relative to Earth's frame of reference; and

a complementary drain port ( 45 ) separately and independently of both the disposable bag ( 44 ) and the receiving container ( 10 ), the complementary drain port ( 45 ) having a hollow receptacle ( 48 ) mounted around the disposable bag port ( 200 ) of the disposable bag ( 44 ) and comprising a convex taper that tapers to smaller cross sectional dimensions at positions farther away from the inner space of the disposable bag ( 44 ), the convex taper of the complementary drain port being complementary to the downwardly tapered outlet opening ( 5 ) of the receiving container.

2. The bioreactor system of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the downwardly tapered outlet opening ( 5 ) of the receiving container ( 10 ) has a conical shape and/or a semispherical shape and/or a semi-ellipsoidal shape.

3. The bioreactor system of claim 1 , having a fixing element ( 7 ) for fixing the complementary drain port ( 45 ) of the disposable bag ( 44 ) in the outlet opening ( 5 ).

4. The bioreactor system of claim 3 , having a remote control ( 70 ) for opening and/or closing the fixing element ( 7 ).

5. The bioreactor system of claim 1 , wherein the complementary drain port ( 45 ) is provided as a multipart component.

6. The bioreactor system of claim 5 , wherein the complementary drain port ( 45 ) comprises two opposed halves ( 45 A, 45 B) that are assembled around the disposable bag port ( 200 ).

7. The bioreactor system of claim 6 , wherein the disposable bag port ( 200 ) has a specified non-cylindrical outer surface configuration, and wherein the two opposed halves ( 45 A, 45 B) of the complementary drain port ( 45 ) have inner surface configurations ( 49 ) complementary to the outer surface configuration of the disposable bag port ( 200 ).

8. The bioreactor system of claim 7 , wherein the two opposed halves ( 45 A, 45 B) of the complementary drain port ( 45 ) have projections ( 46 A) and recesses ( 46 B) that engage to align the two opposed halves ( 45 A, 45 B) of the complementary drain port ( 45 ).

9. The bioreactor system of claim 7 , wherein the inner surface configurations ( 49 ) of the two opposed halves ( 45 A, 45 B) of the complementary drain port ( 45 ) include protrusions ( 49 ) and the non-cylindrical outer surface configuration of the disposable drain port ( 200 ) includes at least one recess, the protrusions ( 49 ) of the complementary drain port ( 45 ) engage in the at least one recess of the disposable drain port ( 200 ).

10. The bioreactor system of claim 9 , wherein the protrusions ( 49 ) that form the inner surface configurations ( 49 ) of the two opposed halves ( 45 A, 45 B) of the complementary drain port ( 45 ) are circularly generated protrusions ( 49 ).

11. The bioreactor system of claim 6 , wherein the two opposed halves ( 45 A, 45 B) of the complementary drain port ( 45 ) include facing surfaces with magnets ( 47 A, 47 B) that attract and hold the two opposed halves ( 45 A, 45 B) of the complementary drain port ( 45 ) together.