Method for continuous centrifugal bioprocessing

Claim 1

A method for long term culturing of cells or other microorganisms forming a microorganism culture, comprising: installing a microorganism within a reaction chamber of a bioreactor having a rotatable rotor which mounts a reactor which defines at least portions of said reaction chamber; said bioreactor being capable of centrifugally rotating the reactor and reaction chamber; rotating the microorganism culture contained within the reaction chamber to thereby create centrifugal forces acting upon the microorganisms forming the microorganism culture; supplying a flow of fluid culture medium to the rotating rotor and reaction chamber; controllably forcing fluid culture medium through the microorganism culture held within the reaction chamber in a manner which creates fluid dynamic forces on the microorganisms which are in opposition to the centrifugal forces applied to the microorganisms; forming a velocity gradient within the fluid culture medium as the culture medium flows within the reaction chamber; said velocity gradient varying from a relatively faster velocity to slower velocities countervailing to the centrifugal forces acting on the microorganism; fluidizing the microorganism culture by controlling the flow of fluid culture medium through the reaction chamber to maintain microorganisms of the microorganism culture in a fluidized mass within the reaction chamber; suspending the microorganisms of the microorganism culture within the reaction chamber substantially balanced by countervailing fluid drag forces and centrifugal forces; removing fluid culture medium from the rotating rotor and reaction chamber; recirculating fluid culture medium removed from the rotating rotor and reaction chamber back through the reaction chamber; feeding the microorganisms of the microorganism culture which are suspended in the reaction chamber by supplying suitable nutrients for the microorganisms in the fluid culture medium as the fluid culture medium is forced through the reaction chamber.

Claim 2

A method for long term culturing of cells or other microorganisms forming a microorganism culture, comprising: installing a microorganism within a reaction chamber of a bioreactor having a rotatable rotor which mounts a reactor which defines at least portions of said reaction chamber; said bioreactor being capable of centrifugally rotating the reactor and reaction chamber; rotating the microorganism culture contained within the reaction chamber to thereby create centrifugal forces acting upon the microorganisms forming the microorganism culture; supplying a flow of fluid culture medium to the rotating rotor and reaction chamber; controllably forcing fluid culture medium through the microorganism culture held within the reaction chamber in a manner which creates fluid dynamic forces on the microorganisms which are in opposition to the centrifugal forces applied to the microorganisms; forming a velocity gradient within the fluid culture medium as the culture medium flows within the reaction chamber; said velocity gradient varying from a relatively faster velocity to slower velocities countervailing to the centrifugal forces acting on the microorganism; fluidizing the microorganism culture by controlling the flow of fluid culture medium through the reaction chamber to maintain microorganisms of the microorganism culture in a fluidized mass within the reaction chamber; suspending the microorganisms of the microorganism culture within the reaction chamber substantially balanced by countervailing fluid drag forces and centrifugal forces; removing fluid culture medium from the rotating rotor and reaction chamber; recirculating fluid culture medium removed from the rotating rotor and reaction chamber back through the reaction chamber; feeding the microorganisms of the microorganism culture which are suspended in the reaction chamber by supplying suitable nutrients for the microorganisms in the fluid culture medium as the fluid culture medium is forced through the reaction chamber.

Claim 13

A method for long term culturing of cells or other microorganisms forming at least one microorganism culture, comprising: installing at least one microorganism within at least one reaction chamber of a bioreactor having at least one rotatable rotor which mounts at least one reactor which defines at least portions of said at least one reaction chamber; said bioreactor being capable of centrifugally rotating the at least one reactor and reaction chamber; rotating the at least one microorganism culture contained within the at least one reaction chamber to thereby create centrifugal forces acting upon microorganisms forming the microorganism culture; supplying at least one flow of at least one fluid culture medium to the rotating rotor and reaction chamber; circulating at least one flow of at least one fluid culture medium to the rotating rotor, through the reaction chamber, and from the rotating rotor; controllably forcing at least one fluid culture medium through the microorganism culture held within the at least one reaction chamber in opposition to the centrifugal forces applied to the microorganisms; fluidizing the at least one microorganism culture by controlling the flow of the at least one fluid culture medium through the at least one reaction chamber to maintain microorganisms of the at least one microorganism culture in at least one fluidized mass within the at least one reaction chamber; suspending the microorganisms of the at least one microorganism culture within the at least one reaction chamber substantially balanced by countervailing fluid drag forces and centrifugal forces; said microorganisms being suspended for periods of at least one day; removing fluid culture medium from the rotating rotor and at least one reaction chamber; feeding the microorganisms of the at least one microorganism culture suspended in the at least one reaction chamber by passing suitable nutrients for the microorganisms in the at least one fluid culture medium as the fluid culture medium is forced through the at least one reaction chamber.

Claim 14

A method for long term culturing of cells or other microorganisms forming at least one microorganism culture, comprising: installing at least one microorganism within at least one reaction chamber of a bioreactor having at least one rotatable rotor which mounts at least one reactor which defines at least portions of said at least one reaction chamber; said bioreactor being capable of centrifugally rotating the at least one reactor and reaction chamber; rotating the at least one microorganism culture contained within the at least one reaction chamber to thereby create centrifugal forces acting upon microorganisms forming the microorganism culture; supplying at least one flow of at least one fluid culture medium to the rotating rotor and reaction chamber; circulating at least one flow of at least one fluid culture medium to the rotating rotor, through the reaction chamber, and from the rotating rotor; controllably forcing at least one fluid culture medium through the microorganism culture held within the at least one reaction chamber in opposition to the centrifugal forces applied to the microorganisms; fluidizing the at least one microorganism culture by controlling the flow of the at least one fluid culture medium through the at least one reaction chamber to maintain microorganisms of the at least one microorganism culture in at least one fluidized mass within the at least one reaction chamber; suspending the microorganisms of the at least one microorganism culture within the at least one reaction chamber substantially balanced by countervailing fluid drag forces and centrifugal forces; said microorganisms being suspended for periods of at least one day; removing fluid culture medium from the rotating rotor and at least one reaction chamber; feeding the microorganisms of the at least one microorganism culture suspended in the at least one reaction chamber by passing suitable nutrients for the microorganisms in the at least one fluid culture medium as the fluid culture medium is forced through the at least one reaction chamber.

Claim 24

A method for long term culturing of cells or other microorganisms forming at least one microorganism culture, comprising: installing at least one microorganism within at least one reaction chamber of a bioreactor having at least one rotatable rotor which mounts at least one reactor which defines at least portions of said at least one reaction chamber; said bioreactor being capable of centrifugally rotating the at least one reactor and reaction chamber; rotating the at least one microorganism culture contained within the at least one reaction chamber to thereby create centrifugal forces acting upon the microorganisms forming the microorganism culture; supplying at least one flow of at least one fluid culture medium to the rotating rotor and reaction chamber; controllably forcing at least one fluid culture medium through the microorganism culture held within the at least one reaction chamber in opposition to the centrifugal forces applied to the microorganisms; forming a velocity gradient within the fluid culture medium as the culture medium flows within the reaction chamber; said velocity gradient varying from a relatively faster velocity to slower velocities countervailing to the centrifugal forces acting on the microorganism; fluidizing the at least one microorganism culture by controlling the flow of the at least one fluid culture medium through the at least one reaction chamber to maintain microorganisms of the at least one microorganism culture in at least one fluidized mass within the at least one reaction chamber; suspending the microorganisms of the at least one microorganism culture within the at least one reaction chamber substantially balanced by countervailing fluid drag forces and centrifugal forces; said microorganisms being suspended for periods of at least one day; removing fluid culture medium from the rotating rotor and at least one reaction chamber; recirculating fluid culture medium removed from the at least one reaction chamber back through at least one reaction chamber; feeding the microorganisms of the at least one microorganism culture suspended in the at least one reaction chamber by passing suitable nutrients for the microorganisms in the at least one fluid culture medium as the fluid culture medium is forced through the at least one reaction chamber; sensing pH of recirculating fluid culture medium; treating recirculating fluid culture medium to adjust the pH of the recirculating fluid culture medium to maintain desired pH conditions for the microorganism culture; extracting at least one desired product of the microorganism culture from recirculating fluid culture medium while maintaining the microorganism culture suspended in the bioreactor; controlling temperature of recirculating fluid culture medium.

Claim 25

A method for long term culturing of cells or other microorganisms forming at least one microorganism culture, comprising: installing at least one microorganism within at least one reaction chamber of a bioreactor having at least one rotatable rotor which mounts at least one reactor which defines at least portions of said at least one reaction chamber; said bioreactor being capable of centrifugally rotating the at least one reactor and reaction chamber; rotating the at least one microorganism culture contained within the at least one reaction chamber to thereby create centrifugal forces acting upon the microorganisms forming the microorganism culture; supplying at least one flow of at least one fluid culture medium to the rotating rotor and reaction chamber; controllably forcing at least one fluid culture medium through the microorganism culture held within the at least one reaction chamber in opposition to the centrifugal forces applied to the microorganisms; forming a velocity gradient within the fluid culture medium as the culture medium flows within the reaction chamber; said velocity gradient varying from a relatively faster velocity to slower velocities countervailing to the centrifugal forces acting on the microorganism; fluidizing the at least one microorganism culture by controlling the flow of the at least one fluid culture medium through the at least one reaction chamber to maintain microorganisms of the at least one microorganism culture in at least one fluidized mass within the at least one reaction chamber; suspending the microorganisms of the at least one microorganism culture within the at least one reaction chamber substantially balanced by countervailing fluid drag forces and centrifugal forces; said microorganisms being suspended for periods of at least one day; removing fluid culture medium from the rotating rotor and at least one reaction chamber; recirculating fluid culture medium removed from the at least one reaction chamber back through at least one reaction chamber; feeding the microorganisms of the at least one microorganism culture suspended in the at least one reaction chamber by passing suitable nutrients for the microorganisms in the at least one fluid culture medium as the fluid culture medium is forced through the at least one reaction chamber; sensing pH of recirculating fluid culture medium; treating recirculating fluid culture medium to adjust the pH of the recirculating fluid culture medium to maintain desired pH conditions for the microorganism culture; extracting at least one desired product of the microorganism culture from recirculating fluid culture medium while maintaining the microorganism culture suspended in the bioreactor; controlling temperature of recirculating fluid culture medium.