Device and method for taking a sample from a bioreactor

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

The patent describes a device and method for rapidly taking samples from a bioreactor and instantly cooling or mixing the sample with another liquid. The apparatus ensures that bioreactor fluid and a coolant (or other liquid) are brought together at a single point using specialized supply lines and a mixing device, which allows for immediate and uniform cooling. This fast cooling (quenching) preserves the true chemical and metabolic state of the sampled cells or liquid by quickly stopping metabolic reactions.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Sampling cell cultures or microorganisms in industrial or academic bioreactors for metabolic studies
• Optimizing biopharmaceutical production by allowing accurate monitoring of intracellular metabolite concentrations
• Research into fast metabolic changes in microbial, plant, or animal cells under various conditions
• Quality assurance in fermentation processes and biochemical manufacturing
• Development and scale-up of new bioprocesses in biotechnology industries
• Any laboratory or industry requiring rapid sampling and quenching of biological processes

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Minimizes time delay between sampling and quenching, preserving true intracellular and extracellular composition
• Prevents undesired changes in the sample due to ongoing metabolic activity during sampling
• Allows accurate metabolic profiling of cells as they exist in the bioreactor, improving the reliability of experimental and production data
• Reduces sample handling errors and 'dead volumes', because mixing and cooling occur immediately upon withdrawal
• Supports subsecond time-scale metabolic studies by rapidly cooling samples (within 200 ms to -20°C or lower)
• Adaptable to different bioreactor setups and liquid types, increasing flexibility and usability
• Can be used for mixing with reagents other than coolant, enabling a broader range of experimental protocols

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

Sampling apparatus comprises a supply for a solution located in a bioreactor, and a supply for a further liquid, where at least one reactor liquid supply line (7) meet with at least one coolant supply line (6) in a point, at which a mixing device (4) is connected. An independent claim is also included for sampling the bioreactor, comprising cooling or mixing the sample with a liquid different from the liquid present in the bioreactor, where at least one reactor liquid stream with at least one coolant stream or other liquid stream is combined in a point and conveyed through a mixing device.