초록

Aeration device for bioreactors with a first aeration element with gas outlet openings of a first size and with at least one second aeration element with gas outlet openings of a second size, the aeration elements being formed by a common housing with separate aeration channels.

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1. An aeration device (1) for a bioreactor (25), comprising: a housing (2) formed separate from the bioreactor (25) and having: a lower part (5) with an annular bottom wall (9), first, second and third substantially concentric annular walls (10, 11, 12) projecting up from the bottom wall (9) to defi

1. An aeration device (1) for a bioreactor (25), comprising: a housing (2) formed separate from the bioreactor (25) and having: a lower part (5) with an annular bottom wall (9), first, second and third substantially concentric annular walls (10, 11, 12) projecting up from the bottom wall (9) to define a first aeration channel (7) between the first and second annular walls (10, 11) and a second aeration channel (8) between the second and third annular walls (11, 12);an aeration member (14) supported on ends of the second and third annular walls (11, 12) remote from the bottom wall (9) and covering the second aeration channel (8) to form a second aeration element (4), the aeration member (14) having a lower surface facing into the second aeration channel (8) and an upper surface facing away from the second aeration channel (8), the aeration member (14) being formed from a porous material with second gas outlet openings of a second size extending from the lower surface to the upper surface; andan upper part (6) having a first circumferential wall supported on the first and second annular walls of the lower part (5) and facing into the first aeration channel (7), the upper part further having a second circumferential wall supported on the third annular wall (12) of the lower part (5), circumferentially spaced bridges extending between the first and second circumferential walls of the upper part (6) and facing the upper surface of the aeration member (14), segment shaped openings (17) being defined circumferentially between the bridges of the upper part (6) and radially between the first and second annular walls so that the upper surface of the aeration member (14) is exposed to areas external of the aeration device (1), the first circumferential wall of the upper part (6) being formed with first gas outlet openings (36) of a first size that differs from the second size, the first circumferential wall of the upper part (6) and the first aeration channel (7) of the lower part (5) defining a first aeration element (43). 2. The aeration device of claim 1, wherein the housing (2) is an annular disk in which are arranged the first and second aeration elements (3, 4). 3. The aeration device of claim 1, wherein the first aeration element (3) is a ring sparger (16) with the first gas outlet openings (36) being greater than 0.1 mm in diameter and the second aeration element (4) is a microsparger (15) with the second gas outlet openings (36) being less than 0.1 mm in diameter. 4. The aeration device of claim 3, wherein the gas outlet openings of the microsparger (15) are formed by a sintered porous material. 5. The aeration device of claim 1, wherein the first aeration element (3) is a ring sparger with the first gas outlet openings of the first size and the second aeration element (4) is a ring sparger (16) with the second gas outlet openings (36) of the second size, the first and second gas outlet openings (36) being larger than 0.1 mm. 6. The aeration device of claim 1, wherein the first aeration element (3) is a microsparger with the first gas outlet openings of the first size and the second aeration element (4) is a microsparger (15) with the second gas outlet openings (36) of the second size, the first and second gas outlet openings (36) being smaller than 0.1 mm. 7. The aeration device of claim 1, wherein the lower part (5) of the housing (2) further has first and second radially extending inflows (21, 23) communicating respectively with the first and second aeration channels (7, 8). 8. The aeration device of claim 7, wherein the first and second inflows (21, 23) are provided respectively with first and second tube connections (22, 24) each of which has a nonreturn valve for independent supply of the aeration channels (7, 8). 9. The aeration device of claim 1, wherein the upper part (6) is sealed relative to the lower part (5) by seals (18, 1920). 10. The aeration device of claim 1, wherein the upper part (6) is welded to the lower part (5). 11. The aeration device of claim 1, wherein the upper part (6) is adhesively bonded to the lower part (5). 12. The aeration device of claim 1, wherein the housing (2) comprises a central opening (32) dimensioned to accommodate a stirrer flange (31) of the bioreactor (25) and is arranged between a stirrer (26) and a bottom (29) of an interior (30) of the bioreactor (25). 13. The aeration device of claim 7, wherein the lower part (5) comprises a continuous, circular bottom wall (9′) and is inserted in sealing manner into a bottom (29) of the bioreactor (25) by a screw, bayonet, latch, clamp, adhesive or clip connection. 14. The aeration device of claim 1, wherein the upper part (6) has between 4 and 8 of the segment shaped openings (17). 15. The aeration device of claim 1, wherein the bridges of the upper part (6) are radially extending bridges extending between inner and outer circumferential areas of the upper part (6) and separating the segment shaped openings (17), each of the segment shaped openings (17) being circumferentially larger than each of the radially extending bridges.