Pressure control system for an apparatus for cell cultivation and cell-product harvesting

• Main Authors: KOWOL, EWALD, WILSON, JOHN R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 02.05.1997
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; ENZYMOLOGY; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; SPIRITS; VINEGAR; WINE

The invention relates to a pressure control system for an apparatus for cell cultivation and isolation of cell products (bioreactor), having a gas chamber (32) and having a cell culture chamber (26) located therein, as well as devices for gas introduction (64) and gas removal (66) which are connected to the apparatus, furthermore having devices (78) for introducing liquid nutrients and for removing liquid waste products (76), which are attached to the apparatus separate from the devices for gas introduction and gas removal. The means (68, 69) for controlling the gas pressure in the gas chamber (32) are functionally connected to the bioreactor in order to maintain a pressure in the cell culture chamber (26) which is higher than that in the gas chamber (32). In a second variant of the invention, the means (68, 82) for controlling the gas pressure in the cell culture chamber (26) are functionally connected to the bioreactor in order to maintain a pressure in the cell culture chamber (26) which is higher than that in the gas chamber (32). The devices for removing gas have a vacuum pump (69) and the devices for introducing liquid nutrients have a nutrient source (78) and pumps. The devices for removing liquid waste materials are provided with means (76) for collecting liquid materials, which are located underneath the apparatus so that syphon outflow is present.