Brunswick Corporation

Dirk M deWinter

Wolfgang J Wrasidlo

Frieder K Hofmann

A bioreactor is disclosed in which cells are confined to a compartment formed by porous hydrophyllic sheet membranes through which a nutrient solution diffuses in and exocellular products and metabolic waste diffuse out. Adjacent gas compartments allow the flow of free oxygen into the cell compartment. Each cell compartment is configured to place cells within about 100-200 micrometers of the oxygen transport membrane.

Membrane bioreactor system

In applications involving interleaving membranes with separators, for bioreactors, dialyzers, and membrane filters and the like, shrinkage of the separator, preferably made of polypropylene, polyamides, or polyethylene terephthlate fiber web, is avoided, and the need for the use of exotic and expensive fluorinated hydrocarbon polymer materials for such separators is avoided by subjecting the separator to untensioned heating at temperatures of from about b 120 l degrees C., up to a temperature less than the glass transition or melting temperature of the polymer web under wet steam at a pressure of from about 1.0 to about 2.0 atmospheres for a time of at least about 20 minutes.

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Vista, CA, United States of America

Dirk M deWinter