Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology – Spore forming or isolating process
Patent
1986-03-17
1989-09-26
Kamen, Noah P.
Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology
Spore forming or isolating process
43524025, 435286, 435315, 21050023, C12N 500
Patent
active
048700185
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process and to an apparatus for the bubble-free gassing of liquids, especially of culture media especially for propagating tissue cultures.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The purpose of gassing liquids is to introduce and to desorb gases. Especially when multiplying animal cells in culture media, adequate supply of oxygen and adequate removal of carbon dioxide presents a problem if cell numbers of more than 10.sup.6 cells per ml of culture medium are to be achieved. Since with so-called surface gassing only a small volume of liquid can be gassed, there has been a change to so-called submersed gassing. Although the required gasification rates with air or pure oxygen can be achieved in this process, undesirable foam formation occurs at the surface of the medium. Frequently cells and also microcarriers float in this foam, and this results in a reduction in the efficiency of the culture.
To solve this problem a method has become known in which gas exchange occurs across an immersed membrane sheet. In this process, the gassing is carried out with closed or open-pored membranes that are arranged in the liquid which is agitated by a stirrer. It is to be seen as a disadvantage in this process that the movement of the liquid is in many cases possible only under certain conditions and at a very low number of revolutions since the tissue cultures are extremely sensitive to shearing forces.
The problem underlying the invention is to provide a process and an apparatus, of the type mentioned at the beginning, for the bubble-free gassing of liquids, especially of culture media for propagating tissue cultures, which process and apparatus allows as uniform as possible a distribution of gas introduction and gas desorption in a simple and effective manner without mechanical damage to the constituents of the liquid medium, like cells.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention comprises a process for the bubble-free gassing of liquids, especially of culture media especially for propagating tissue cultures, with a gas exchange across an immersed membrane sheet, characterised in that a hollow cylindrical membrane cage formed by porous hollow membrane filaments is suspended flexibly in the medium to be gassed, and a translatory movement is imparted to the membrane cage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side elevation of embodiment apparatus of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side elevation of another embodiment apparatus of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
By means of the process and apparatus in accordance with the invention, a uniform movement of liquid at all areas of the membrane or of the membrane cage is guaranteed, accompanied by a high boundary surface renewal rate owing to the movement of the membrane cage. Both the introduction of gas and the desorption of gas are quasi-homogeneously distributed over the entire volume of liquid without additional mixing devices being necessary. The supply and removal of gas can be carried out in an advantageous manner without having to move seals, by way of a simple coupling using flexible tubes, the tubes simultaneously being used to suspend the membrane cage. The configuration of the tubular-shaped membrane cage can, in an advantageous manner, easily be matched to the particular conditions in cell cultures, for example slime or cell agglomerate formation. This can be effected without difficulty and in an advantageous manner, for example by altering the number and the diameter of the hollow membrane filaments.
In an advantageous further development of the invention, to facilitate imparting the movement, the membrane cage can be moved without auto- or self-rotation.
The translatory movement of the membrane cage, which is preferably provided without true rotation of the membrane cage, can be initiated, for example, by way of the membrane cage suspension system. It is advantageous in this case for the membra
REFERENCES:
patent: 3821108 (1974-06-01), Manjikian
patent: 3856475 (1974-12-01), Marx
patent: 4075100 (1978-02-01), Furuta et al.
patent: 4208289 (1980-06-01), Bray
patent: 4405688 (1983-09-01), Lowery et al.
U.K. Patent Application No. GB 2059436A, 4/1981.
PCT Application No. WO85/02195, May 23, 1985, Wergeland et al.
U.K. Application No. GB 2093730, Sep. 9, 1985, Akzo, N. V.
Gesellschaft fur Biotechnologische Forschung mbH (GBF)
Kamen Noah P.
LandOfFree
Process and apparatus for gassing liquids does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Process and apparatus for gassing liquids, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Process and apparatus for gassing liquids will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-187358