Reactor

Abstract

The invention relates to a reactor driven in an oscillatory-rotary manner about its fixed, preferably vertical, axis, for preferably biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications. By means of its process-intensifying properties for mixing, suspension, gaseous material transport, heat transfer, irradiation and particle retention, the applicability on the industrial scale is ensured. The reactor which succeeds without a shaft seal permits particularly robust production with respect to sterile technique with avoidance of cleaning and cleaning validation required when the reactor is constructed as a single-use reactor.

1 . A reactor comprising a reactor housing with a reactor vessel inserted therein, a drive unit adapted to rotate the reactor housing, with reactor vessel inserted therein, in periodically opposite directions; said reactor housing being inserted into a holder or on an axial bearing, wherein contents of the reactor vessel are rotated in periodically opposite directions, about a fixed vertical, axis of the reactor wherein a mechanical power input from the drive unit into the reactor vessel contents is enabled by a member of the group consisting of an angular cross section of the reactor vessel, a flat, pyramidal or tetrahedral base shell form of the reactor vessel, mixing elements fixed within the reactor vessel, and combinations thereof; said reactor vessel comprising a fluorescence sensor running essentially in the peripheral direction to the axis of the reactor and optionally an optical detection apparatus at a distance from the reactor vessel. 
     
     
         2 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor is rectangular and has a flat or pyramidal base, and motion of the rectangular reactor having the flat or pyramidal base generates secondary flows by rotary motion. 
     
     
         3 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor vessel has a triangular to quadrangular cross section and a flat, pyramidal or tetrahedral base, and liquid flows can be generated by a rotary motion of the reactor vessel. 
     
     
         4 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor vessel has a ratio of height to mean diameter of 0.2-2.0. 
     
     
         5 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein internals are provided in the reactor vessel which provide functionalized surfaces oscillating relative to the drive unit for carrying out physical, biological, biochemical and/or chemical reactions at and/or in membranes, for gas introduction via membranes, for gas distribution, for liquid distribution, for irradiation, for filtration, for absorption, for adsorption, for analysis and for cooling and/or heating. 
     
     
         6 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein said vessel has clamping elements, a lower frame, a blade agitator formed by agitator blade elements which, at the time point of reactor use, are clamped between the two clamping elements, at least one base bearing which is fixed to the base of the reactor by welding or adhesion via a support ring, a drive spindle which in the rotatable base, which drive spindle is designed as a gear wheel or simple key bow, a tie rod connected to a head bearing and a holding device. 
     
     
         7 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein said vessel has clamping elements, a lower frame, a blade agitator formed by agitator blade film elements which, at the time point of reactor use, are clamped between two clamping elements, at least one base bearing which is fixed to the base of the reactor by welding or adhesion via a support ring, a drive spindle in the rotatable base which is optionally designed as a gear wheel or simple key bow, a tie rod ( 64 ) connected to the head bearing or a holding device. 
     
     
         8 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein substances to be mixed are simultaneously UV-irradiated by further internals, and/or gas-treated with oxygen, and/or filtered, and/or heat is discharged. 
     
     
         9 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein said reactor is a single-use reactor. 
     
     
         10 . The reactor of  claim 9 , wherein the reactor vessel is formed of a multilayer polymer material or a polymer material applied to stabilizing grid structures. 
     
     
         11 . The reactor of  claim 10 , wherein the reactor is formed of multilayer plastic films. 
     
     
         12 . The reactor of  claim 9 , wherein the reactor vessel is connected to a housing which is adapted at least in part to the form of the reactor vessel, and wherein the housing can be set in oscillatory-rotary motion about the fixed, vertical, axis of the reactor by the drive unit. 
     
     
         13 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor vessel is detachably attached to the housing by reduced pressure. 
     
     
         14 . The reactor of  claim 12 , wherein the housing is suspended so as to be movable in an essentially vertical direction. 
     
     
         15 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor is positively coupled to the drive unit in such a manner that the acceleration and braking of the reactor rotation proceeds at an essentially constant angular acceleration or deceleration. 
     
     
         16 . The reactor of claim wherein the rotary motion of the reactor has an angular amplitude α in the range 2°≦|α|≦3600°. 
     
     
         17 . The reactor of  claim 1 , having a gas-introduction module having essentially vertically arranged permeable tubular membranes for gas introduction to the reactor. 
     
     
         18 . The reactor of  claim 17 , wherein the reactor vessel has at least two subpieces and the gas-introduction module has a frame for fastening the membranes), wherein the subpieces are each connected to the frame by adhesion. 
     
     
         19 . The reactor of  claim 17 , wherein the membranes have a membrane film connected to an open-pore material. 
     
     
         20 . The reactor of  claim 17 , wherein the gas-introduction module has a first holding profile and a second holding profile and at least one elongated membrane is provided which is arranged so as to be led to and fro between the first holding profile and the second holding profile in a zigzag shape or meander shape. 
     
     
         21 . The reactor of  claim 1 , lined on an inside at least in part with a permeable membrane for gas introduction to the reactor. 
     
     
         22 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the acceleration value of the oscillatory-rotary motion, can be set in such a manner that, at the surface of the reactor contents, a wave flow can be generated which transports a part of the reactor contents situated at the surface into the interior of the reactor contents. 
     
     
         23 . A process for mixing and/or dispersing substances, which comprises mixing and/or dispersing said substances in the reactor of  claim 1 .