The Culture of High-Tech Components

Bioengineering AG has been planning and constructing biotechnological plants for over 35 years. Holistic solutions have become the status quo: from inoculation to harvest, from feed line to CIP-system, and from automation to validation. The know-how acquired over years should not be limited to customers fermenting with Bioengineering equipment. Therefore all Bioengineering components are available as single parts. These custom-made components for a variety of special applications facilitate progress in culture technology.

Operational Safety

Crevices, deadlegs, and leaks are potential sources of microbial contamination or environmental hazards. Diaphragm valves and sterile couplings are necessary for process control and maintenance and often constitute the transition from unsterile to sterile plant segments. Bioengineering manufactures sterile couplings with deadleg-free passage and seals flush with the pipe wall. Hygienic diaphragm valves are available from manually operated one-way valves for simple applications to fully automated multiway valves for sterile crosses, ring distributors and transfer panels. Leaks in the system are prevented with hermetically sealed magnetic agitation systems, aerosol-free Hi Containment sampling, and harvest valves with bellows construction.

Measurement, Control, and Automation

Biotechnological processes are professionally conducted with control of agitation, temperature, pH, and DO. additional control loops (antifoam, dosage, pressure, gas flow, etc.) increase product yield and reproducibility. off-gas analysis of O₂ and CO₂ with simultaneous calculation of the respiratory quotient (RQ) is frequently used for fed-batch processes, for dosage of limiting nutrients or cosubstrates, or for the monitoring of product formation rates. Bioengineering’s exhalyzer is a compact, easily operated unit for off-gas analysis. Generated data are processed via the control software BioSCADA and linked with other control loops. Integration of all control loops within BioSCADA facilitates process management and enables a high degree of automation via step sequences. Intelligent selection of control loops, concise automation, and data analysis establish perfect processes and ensure product safety.

Special Cultivation Process

Many special processes cannot make do with the traditional stirred tank alone. Bioengineering provides a variety of innovative process solutions. Bioengineering’s rotorfilter supports cell culture perfusion processes without clogging and fouling. Adherent cells are cultivated in a radially perfused fixed bed insert which is mounted into existing vessels. The continuous inversina solves problems of agitation and heat transfer for solid substrate fermentations of fungi and bacteria. Extremophile and marine organisms require cultivation conditions that corrode stainless steel. In Bioengineering’s PEEK fermentor all stainless steel parts are replaced with the high-performance thermoplastic PEEK. This enables cultivation in high salt conditions even with high temperatures.

Cleaning Efficiency

Cleaning processes must be thorough and reproducible, economically feasible, and ecologically advantageous. With RotaCIP, CIP valve, and CIP mobile Bioengineering has designed innovative equipment to streamline the CIP-process, to reduce chemical and water consumption, and to minimize contamination risks. RotaCIP is a rotating CIP-lance with spray ball. Rotation increases spraying intensity, reduces cleaning time, and eliminates spray shadows. The CIP-valve is automatically inserted into the vessel during the CIP-process and sprays hard-to-reach areas with a jet nozzle from below. The fully automated CIP mobile has been designed for mobile applications. It features recycling of chemicals, quality control, and full documentation of the cleaning process. Efficiency, safety, and operability of the cleaning process are ensured with these Bioengineering components.

About the Author

Author Details
Karin Koller is a scientific assistant at Bioengineering Inc., 1601 Trapelo Road, Suite #215Waltham, MA 02451, 1-781-672 2620, 1-781-672 -2626; www.bioengineering-inc.com.