Abstract:
A method and apparatus for condensing vapor in a gas. A cryogen, such as liquid nitrogen, may be provided into first and second coil sets in a condenser housing to cool the condensable vapor in the housing to condense the vapor into a liquid or solid form. The flow of cryogen in the first and second coil sets may be independently controlled, coils in the first and/or second coil sets may have a substantially equal length, and/or coils in the first and/or second coil sets may have uppermost portions that are located at a substantially equal height.
Abstract:
Biological liquid substances in a disposable bioreactor or a disposable fermentor is enriched with a dissolved gas such as oxygen. The gas is provided to the liquid in meeting growth needs of biomass within the disposable vessel. The liquid is processed through a bubble forming element such as a supersonic mixer, a membrane sparger, or the like, to form a gas-liquid dispersion. The dispersion has a high interfacial surface area for facilitating gas dissolution in the liquid. Receptacles of the disposable vessel may be coupled (e.g., magnetically) to one or more processing devices (e.g., motors, pumps, gas sources) outside of the disposable vessel so that components within the disposable vessel are able to perform functions suitable for furthering reaction and/or fermentation processes.
Abstract:
Oxygen is delivered into a liquid contained within a vessel. Oxygen-rich gas is introduced at an inner mixing region of a vessel toward an agitating element for dissolving some of the oxygen into the liquid. Air is introduced to the liquid at a location different from where the oxygen-rich gas is introduced, minimizing coalescing of bubbles of the oxygen-rich gas and air bubbles. Running the agitating element in the vessel may induce mixing of the liquid and improve oxygen dissolution. Movement of the air bubbles can also generate a mixing effect on the liquid, yet independent from mixing caused by the agitating element. In some embodiments, currents produced by the agitating element are asymmetric with respect to a vertical axis of the vessel. Air bubbles may also form an asymmetric configuration of bubbles about the vertical axis.
Abstract:
A method and system for controlled rate freezing and nucleation of materials is provided. The presently disclosed system and method provides the ability to rapidly cool the materials contained in vials or other containers within a cooling unit via forced convective cooling using a laminar and uniform flow of cryogen in proximity to the plurality of vials disposed within the cooling unit. The rapid cooling of the biological materials is achieved by precisely controlling and adjusting the temperature of the cryogen being introduced to the system as a function of time. The presently disclosed methods to systems also provide nucleation control via temperature quench and depressurized nucleation control.
Abstract:
A direct contact cryogenic crystallizer having a vertically oriented draft tube into which cryogenic fluid is injected at a high velocity along with warm gas and through which a crystal slurry is drawn for subsequent cooling and agitation for the production of crystals.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for dispersing a gas into a liquid. Gas is injected into a liquid and the flowing gas-liquid mixture is accelerated by a flow area contraction to at least sonic flow velocity, and subsequently decelerated by a flow area expansion to subsonic velocity. The attendant shock waves disperse the gas in the liquid. Preferred embodiments include off-centering the gas injection direction from the centerline of the contracting flow area and controlling the pressure at the exit of the expanding flow area.
Abstract:
A disposable mixing vessel incorporates a system for dynamic gas control. The disposable mixing vessel includes a first agitating element and a second agitating element located above the first agitating element. The system for dynamic gas control enables a cell culture process to occur in the disposable mixing vessel while maintaining certain parameters of the liquid medium to be within a desired range. Such parameters may include the level of dissolved carbon dioxide, the level of dissolved oxygen, the pH and the osmolality. The system for dynamic gas control may control gas inlet and outlet ports in the disposable mixing vessel for sweeping a suitable composition of gas across the headspace of the liquid medium.
Abstract:
An in-line stripper has a venturi-conical mixer combination in which the annular space thereby is automatically adjustable in response to changes in viscosity or other property conditions.
Abstract:
A single-state apparatus for injection molding structural foam articles has a resin plasticating barrel in which a cylindrical plunger reciprocates and rotates. The plunger has a screw section for plasticating resin and advancing the plasticate into a metering section with grooves in which plasticate flows. The grooves are contiguous to a fluid foaming agent inlet in the side of the barrel so that they alternately open and close the inlet to introduce fluid foaming agent periodically into the plasticate. Downstream, the plunger has channels for mixing and advancing plasticate to the forward end of the plunger where it accumulates and is periodically rammed by the plunger into the mold.