BIOREACTOR PROBE CONNECTION SYSTEM

• Main Authors: CLAES TOM, HAVELANGE NICOLAS, BRAET CHRISTOPHE, VANHAMEL STEVEN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 07.10.2010
• Subjects: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL ORENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES; ENZYMOLOGY; MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEICACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING, DISPERSING; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; SPIRITS; TRANSPORTING; VINEGAR; WINE

A system providing a sterile connection between a sensor probe and a fluid processing apparatus (e.g., a bioreactor) includes a first probe receiving element mountable to the fluid processing apparatus and a second probe receiving element having a gas-permeable contaminant barrier material and coupleable to the first probe receiving element. A sensor probe may be mounted to the second probe receiving element, with the combination being sterilized with a sterilant gas such as steam. Following such sterilization, connection between the first and second probe receiving elements is made through matable sterile couplings, and the probe is insertable through the coupled receiving elements to a position in fluid contact with the interior of the fluid processing apparatus.