A bioreactor is a receptacle in which we maintain optimal conditions that enable cells, unicellular organisms or enzymes to produce useful products from simple chemicals. In the process we can also acquire some more or less desired by-products. The firm Lek d.d. utilizes two bioreactor systems Ambr, each with four blocks of twelve bioreactors. During their employment it became clear that the temperature in the bioreactors within one block differs, which in turn resulted in an uneven growth of cells. In order to improve physical and biological conditions within one block, we have constructed a heating system for the bioreactor systems Ambr that diminishes the temperature differences within a block of bioreactors.
We joined the heater, a charger and a switch into a circuit. Onto the heater we attached a temperature sensor and directed its signal to a microcontroller control panel. The microcontroller control panel thus adequately regulates the heater with a pulse-width modulation signal according to the signal received from the temperature sensor. We enhanced the heating system by adding a module for a memory card, which records the heater’s performance.
Test measurements have shown that the heating system has proved itself as a successful solution to the problem posed. It diminishes the temperature differences between the coldest and warmest of the bioreactors within a block the bioreactors two to two and a half times, depending on the temperature that has been set for the block. Further additions and upgrading of the system will make it more robust and safe.
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